Heroes and Twili
by Niry Krane
Summary: Six centuries after Link married Midna, a new story begins. The destined Hero is a thief on the streets, and Aeli, their descendant, becomes an orphan overnight. Both seek revenge, but evil is stirring. Can they save Hyrule before it falls?
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

_Excerpt from the journal of the Princess of Light_

Six hundred years after the marriage of a Light-Dweller to the Princess of the Twilight Realm, two different people are born.

One is a girl, the descendant of the Hero and the Twilight Princess, with hair red and orange like the flames of a fireplace, and eyes bluer than the sky. Her skin is a light indigo color, more relating her to Midna, the Twilight Princess.

The other is a boy, descended from an entirely different line, with brown-blond hair and midnight blue eyes. His name is Link, and his destiny is great. For now, he is a petty thief on the streets of Castle Town.

They turn seventeen just weeks apart, and that is the year their paths will cross. The girl, Aeli, is one of the few direct descendants of the Twilight Princess, and so lives high among the trees in a treehouse rebuilt several times over six hundred years, built by her ancestors, Link, the ancient Hero, and Midna, the Twilight Princess.

Link, the thief, lives on the streets, usually stealing his rest from the roof of the doctor's office, or maybe in the tower where the Goron merchants stay. His family was murdered long ago, and he lives on his own.

Dark Forces are gathering in the Desert of the Gerudo. Evil wafts from that place like a foul stench. And I feel certain of what is happening there.

I know of the prophecies, as every princess is supposed to. I know that there are Two Sides of the Same Coin. Even at twilight, when our world intersects with theirs, I can feel their pain, hear their screams of agony as they die.

Evil is not only destroying my world, it is destroying theirs.

My father does not understand. My dreams are vivid and I know they are premonitions, but he is ignorant of my power.

Of the Triforce of Wisdom I inherited.

The air is already growing cold, like the high mountains of Snowpeak to the Northwest of Hyrule Castle.

I put down my pen in the hopes that the thieving young man asleep at this moment on the balcony of the Merchant's Tower will realize his destiny, and Aeli, who so resembles a Twili, will discover her own.

I am the one who can sense these things.

I am Zelda

* * *

BTW peeps, this is a sequel!!! so if u havent read "Two Sides of the Same Coin", also by me, then this will make practically NO sense. SO GO AND READ IT.


	2. Chaper One: Caught at Last

CHAPTER ONE

Link had always been on his own. He wasn't really sure why, but he liked to think his murdered family had once lived in a quiet little village, more north of Castle Town. Some people in Castle Town called it the "hidden village", now abandoned for nearly six hundred years. But it was supposed to be full of cats, and Link wasn't a particular cat person. He preferred wolves.

It was just about dawn, and Link, on the balcony of the Merchant's Tower, felt the first few drops of rain patter his face.

"Wonderful," he muttered. He didn't care much for rain, but it was easier to steal under. Unfortunately, the downpour would mean no doctor's roof tonight. Damn.

He was dressed in a black tunic with black pants. His boots were mud stained and worn, but they were comfortable. Link's cloak was a dark forest green, reversible to black if he needed a quick escape. But if that didn't work, there was always the bar in the south end of town. The bartender, Jeida, was fun-loving and cool, and would cover up for him if he needed it. Plus, Clynn, the barmaid, was pretty.

Link roughly shoved into a man, slipping his hand in and out of the man's pocket too fast for the naked eye to see, murmuring an apology to his victim before moving on.

He continued like this for a while, before stopping by Jeida's bar for breakfast.

"Oh, Link!" Clynn smiled beautifully as he entered. "Jeida, it's Link!"

Jeida was an average woman, young at twenty-seven, with long brown hair usually braided back out of the way. Clynn was sixteen, slim and pretty, with waist-length black hair and dark, lovely eyes.

"Ah, my favorite thief," Jeida smiled. "How's the haul today?"

Link flicked some of his dirty-blond hair from his bright blue eyes, and grinned. "Better than usual, so I'll leave a good tip."

"What'll it be?" Clynn asked.

"Um... I want the scrambled eggs, an omelet, and bacon, please, Clynn." Link's stomach growled as he spoke.

"Coming right up!" Clynn winked coyly and stepped into the kitchen.

Jeida leaned across the bar towards him, lowering her voice little. "Just a heads-up: a soldier from the castle came by here about an hour ago, lookin' for you. Be careful out there, 'kay? I don't want you in trouble."

"Thanks, Jeida." Link leaned back in his seat.

Soon Clynn returned with the food, and Link devoured his feast. He wiped his mouth on his napkin and stood, but noticed acutely that so did a tall man in the back.

He arched his eyebrows a bit in the man's direction, and Clynn nodded. She got the signal they'd worked out.

She walked over to the man, smiling, asking if she could get him anything else. While Clynn distracted him, Link slipped away.

Man, she was good.

However, as soon as he left the bar, a soldier outside the door pounced on him, whacking Link terrifically across the face with the back of his hand and nearly knocking him unconscious.

Link stumbled back, his lip bleeding. He had prepared for this, just in case.

He punched the soldier in the stomach, then dropped and swept his leg underneath the soldier's ankles, knocking him to the cobblestones.

Link darted back inside the bar and closed the door. The tall man saw him, and threw Clynn aside.

"Out of the way, bitch," he snarled, lunging for Link.

Clynn, however, had been ready. She punched him in the eye, then in the chest. Her moves flashed so fast, Link almost missed them. Clynn kicked him terrifically in the shins, dropping him to his knees, then whirled around, her eyes wide.

An arrow, quick as lightning, whistled past Link's ear, and embedded itself in Clynn's throat, just above her collarbone. All she managed was a soft choking noise before she fell to the floor, dead.

"Clynn!" Jeida cried, leaping over the bar and dropping beside the girl.

"You filthy bastard!" Link threw himself at the bowman, but two soldiers grabbed his arms and pulled him back. "You killed her!"

"She assaulted a soldier of the royal guard," the bowman replied in a bored tone. "She was too dangerous to be kept alive."

"_I'll kill you_!" Link shouted, struggling against the men holding him. "You _murderer_!"

"You, Link, are under arrest for thievery, attacking soldiers of Hyrule, and several other crimes against the people. You will be read these charges before your sentence is carried out."

"What sentence?" Jeida stood, her face streaked with the tears of sorrow at Clynn's sudden loss. "You're sentencing him?"

"The sentence," the soldier smiled in mock-disappointment. "is death."

"_What_?" Jeida creased her brows. "You have no right--!"

"I have every right, madam. The youth is a criminal." the bowman cut her off. "And if you plan on getting in my way, you'll end up just like your barmaid."

"Jeida, it's okay," Link tried to calm her. "It's okay,"

"No, it's not." Jeida replied, but stayed where she was.

The bowman nodded, unstringing his bow and slinging it across his back. "You are wise. I do not wish to kill you."

"What about Clynn?" Link once again struggled against his captors. "You killed her!"

The bowman shrugged. "Just keeping the peace."

"Someday," Link growled. "I'm going to kill you."

The bowman nodded to the men holding Link, and one of them struck him across the jaw, toppling him to the ground and knocking him out cold.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated!!!! no flamers plz!!! The second main character is someone I invented, so obviously she wasn't on the list. But she's here!!!!


	3. Chapter Two: Love and Loss

CHAPTER TWO

"Aeli, it's late!" her mother called exasperatedly to the seventeen-year-old girl in the branches high above their own treehouse. "Dinner's ready!"

Aeli deftly dropped from branch to branch, landing on her feet on their wooden deck, jutting out from the porch. She was dressed in a tunic and leggings, with knee-high brown boots and a belt the color of sand around her waist. Her tunic was dark midnight blue, with a V neck and a belt the color of sand around her waist, but her tunic was long enough so that it reached about mid-thigh. Her leggings were black.

She more resembled her father, who had the red hair of a Twili and the light blue skin. His eyes were damask as well. Aeli had the eyes of her ancestor, the Hero. Cerulean. Her mother was not descended from a Twili or anyone important. Kaia was a pretty woman, with soft brown eyes and blonde-auburn hair.

Even so, Aeli was a direct descendant of the Hero and the Twilight Princess, who married nearly six hundred years previously.

She plopped herself down at the table between her father, Djali, and her mother, brushing back her shoulder-length, fiery red-orange hair. Her bangs were always getting in the way, she'd decided to grow them out.

"Aeli! Just look at you!" her father sounded disappointed, but she could see his eyes were laughing. He plucked a twig and an oak leaf from his daughter's head, causing her light indigo skin to blush a deeper blue. "I wonder why you don't use that hairbrush!"

"It's a hassle, and it makes my head itch," Aeli complained. Her ancestress, Midna, had passed her headstrong, insulting attitude onto Aeli, which irritated her parents somewhat.

"Oh, quit it, you two." Kaia scolded, laying out their meal. "And Aeli, I want to see you using that hairbrush in the morning, alright?"

Aeli sighed in exasperation. "Yes, Mother."

"Oh, Kaia, this looks delicious!" Djali's mouth was practically watering as he eyed the roast chicken, salad, and soup his wife had laid out for them.

"Why, thank you," Kaia smiled beautifully. "But if you touch that bird before we're ready, I'll cut your hands off."

Laughter surrounded them, and they dug in.

"Mother?" Aeli asked as Kaia adjusted the blankets on her. "Will you get Father to take me hunting tomorrow? It's been a week since my last lesson."

Kaia chuckled. "If you agree to catch us lunch and dinner, then it's a deal. Get some sleep, Aeli. I love you."

"I love you, Momma."

That hunting trip would never take place.

Aeli stirred in her bed, her fiery red-orange hair strewn around her, and her light blue-indigo skin was beaded with sweat.

Gasping, Aeli woke.

"Mother?" she called. "Father!"

All she smelled was smoke.

Bright flames danced in front of her, and she coughed, eyes watering, searching the area desperately for her parents. She saw nothing.

Aeli had no choice. If she stayed, she'd burn to death. Pulling her collar over her nose and mouth, she yanked her bow and some clothes from a trunk at the end of her bed and threw herself down the outside ladder.

Halfway down, she lost her footing and slipped, falling to the soft green grass.

Tears blurring her vision, she stared long and hard at her burning home. Several black arrows were buried in the ground and the treetrunk, with burned shafts.

Her home had been shot from a distance with flaming arrows.

Aeli took a single arrow from the tree and inspected it for any crest or sign of whom it belonged to.

A triforce was carved on the side, by the feathers.

"Whoever shot this arrow and murdered my family," she whispered, grasping the shaft so hard it nearly snapped. "I will make them pay."

Stowing the arrow in her quiver, she forced back her tears and slept on the ground by her destroyed treehouse.

When dawn broke, Aeli climbed the ladder back into the charred remains. Her mother's jewelry box, a present from her father, was almost untouched, save for a few burns.

Digging through the trinkets, Aeli found something.

A pendant, shaped like a crescent moon, engraved with three words; Love, courage, and destiny. Unthinkingly, Aeli clasped the pendant around her neck and continued to salvage.

Her parents' bodies were peppered with arrows, then burned to blackened skeletons. It disgusted Aeli, but even more so fed her desire for revenge.

How had she not heard them scream? Why hadn't she been able to save them?

Aeli left without anything else. She needed nothing but blood on her hands now. It was nearly impossible, she knew, to sneak into Hyrule Castle and kill every soldier, captain, general, sergeant, anyone. But she knew she had to try.

Djali and Kaia were dead. She was an orphan.

Aeli thirsted for revenge. For the blood of her parents' murderers on her hands.

Without looking back, she left the burnt remains of her family's ancestral home. She left to kill, to rip apart, to avenge. She left, for Fate sent her.

* * *

just who shot that arrow, i wonder? and why? mwa ha ha i'm SO evil.


	4. Chapter Three: Darkness

CHAPTER THREE

Link was only sure of one thing: the darkness. His head was pounding like a relentless drum, and his lip and the corner of his mouth was caked with dried blood. It was cold, too cold, and he was on his knees. His hands were chained above his head, chafed and sore, stinging painfully.

He shifted them slightly, and pain shot through them.

"Awake yet, scum of the streets?" a voice called to him, and the bowman, Clynn's murderer, emerged from the shadows and walked casually towards him. "I was beginning to think my men had killed you."

"It's gonna take more than that," Link snarled, getting to his feet.

The bowman came ever closer. "I'll bet." he was face to face with his captive, almost laughing. A small table and a stool was there, and the bowman sat down, putting his feet up.

Link wrinkled his lip in disgust and spat in the bowman's face, struggling against the chains even though he knew they wouldn't give. "Let me go!"

The bowman wiped the saliva from his face.

"My name is Lunir. I will be your executioner."

"Executioner, my ass." Link snapped. "I will be your killer."

As Lunir was opening his mouth, a light appeared from a door around the hallway, and a soldier poked his head around the bend.

"Commander Lunir, we have a situation." he stuttered.

"Well, what is it?" Lunir looked bored as he replied.

"A young woman, sir. A girl with blue skin and hair like fire. She's killing every soldier she sees with a bow. She shot this- " he tossed an arrow to Lunir. " -to give to you."

Lunir studied the arrow for a moment, then snapped it in aggravation. "She was supposed to burn in the fire! She's a _Twili_, for Din's sake! I had specific orders- " he regained his composure and cleared his throat. "Disarm her and bring her to me, conscious. If she dies, I'll kill you." The soldier bowed and left.

Lunir turned to Link. "It looks like you'll have some company when you die, street rat. You and I will continue our chat now."

Link had been listening intently to what the soldier had said, so he asked, "Can I ask a few questions?"

"I don't see why not," Lunir studied his fingernails.

"What's a Twili?"

Lunir's head snapped up, eyes flashing angrily. Then he calmed. "Since you're going to die, and you'll see her anyway, I'll tell you. A Twili is a human-like creature, with bluish skin and red hair. Their eyes are like blood, they say. The Twili live in another Realm, said to be bound to this one, but the last known portal was destroyed long ago."

"Then how did the girl get here?"

Lunir slammed his fist on the table, taking his feet down. "How am I supposed to know? Apparently, her ancestress was a princess of the Twili called Midna six hundred years ago. Midna married the Hero, and their descendants have been here ever since."

"What is her crime?" Link persisted.

Lunir hesitated for a moment. Then he stood. "This conversation is now over. See you later, little criminal."

"Hey! Wait!" Link called as Lunir left around the bend. The flash of light as the door opened vanished again as it closed.

So there was a Twili in Hyrule? This clearly frustrated Lunir, so Link guessed that that was good. From the description of the girl, she was probably beautiful.

Link shook his head. It was his fault Clynn was dead. No girls anymore. Poor Clynn; an arrow in the throat must have been painful before she died.

As long as he slumped there, on his knees in the grime and filth, hands throbbing, Link didn't know.

Hours; maybe.

Days; it felt like.

When that familiar flash of light appeared again, his head snapped up. He tried to flick his dirty-blond hair from his eyes, but then remembered that his hands were chained. It frustrated him immensely.

Two guards were carrying a girl, tall and slim, with hair the color of a setting sun and skin a light indigo-blue. She was limp, maybe unconscious. Her legs were dragging as they pulled her along to the chains beside him and locked her wrists.

They struck her several times on the face before she came to with a start, trying nearly immediately to throw herself at her captors. Her red hair was thrown back, and Link could see she had slight bangs.

"You cowards! Let me go!" she spat, nearly breaking her wrists as she hurled herself in vain at them.

One held out a bow, and, with two hands, snapped it.

That seemed to break her. Her eyes went wide, and in the dim light, Link could see they were blue, just like his. She slumped to her knees, her hair once again cloaking her face. The small sound of sobs shook her shoulders, and the soldiers left.

"What's your name?" Link tried to talk to her.

Her crying stopped, and she looked to him, as if just realizing he was there.

"Aeli," she said softly.

"I'm Link," he replied. "What are you in this hellhole for?"

Aeli sighed deeply, looking away from him. "They murdered my family, so I killed as many as I could. I'm just not sure why they kept me alive."

"They got me for thievery, attacking soldiers, and a bunch of other things I don't really remember. But I knew they'd get me sooner or later." Link offered.

"Look, Link," she shook her head a few times. "Can you just.... not talk to me for a while? I want to be alone, but since that's impossible, could you be silent?"

"Um, yeah, sure," Link was taken aback, but shut his mouth. He could see, even in the almost complete darkness, that tears were still running like rivers down Aeli's face.

* * *

DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!!!!!! up next: how Aeli got in the dungeon!


	5. Chapter Four: Anguish

CHAPTER FOUR

Aeli stormed into Castle Town three days after her parents' murders, bow in hand, and killed the guard in front of her with a single shot. Tears were fresh in her eyes as she went through a whole line of them on patrol.

One managed to call for help before she silenced him, and she cursed. Even with her agile, seventeen-year-old frame, she couldn't take on more than threescore of them. She'd run out of arrows, even with the giant quiver that held a hundred arrows (it had been passed down through her family from the Hero himself.)

She shot down eight more, running through the streets, ignoring the screams, the cries for help. Aeli was angry; she was furious. She wanted to kill.

A man tackled her from the front, throwing off her hood as she fell.

"A girl?" he was confused.

"I know," she smiled as he loosened his grip on her shoulders. "My skin is blue." Aeli punched him in the chin, knocking him out, and shoved him off her.

Her shoulder-length, fiery hair blowing in the slight, nighttime breeze, her true ancestry was clear in the moonlight.

Six more soldiers with spears tried to circle her, but Aeli shot them all down, continuing on her road to the barracks.

Aeli pulled out the arrow that had shot down her treehouse, and fired it at a soldier on the bridge to the castle. It protruded from his stomach, and she called as she walked,

"That's for your leader!"

What she expected were several lines of soldiers there to stop her, but what she saw was a single man, strong and muscled, fists clenched, on the bridge before the monstrous doors to the castle.

Aeli shot at him, but with superhuman speed, he whipped out a sword and cut her arrow away with ease.

She rushed him, a long knife drawn, slashing at every bit of him she could reach. He was peppered with cuts and blood, but made no attempt to kill her.

The man kicked her violently in the stomach, knocking away her breath and making her fall to her side on the bridge.

He knelt by her and tried to force her knife and bow away from her hands, but she cut at him, slicing his and and nearly severing his finger off. The man jumped back, and kicked her in the stomach again, making her cry out.

Aeli struggled for breath, feeling the warm rush of blood on her side.

"Give me your weapons," the man demanded. "or I will be forced to kill you."

"Go ahead," she taunted. "If they wanted me dead, I'd already be dead."

He kicked her for a third time, and she winced in agony. His steel boots had carved into the flesh of her side, and she could feel a small pool of gore beginning to form.

He struck her mouth, and she tasted blood.

"Weapons," he said again.

"Try and take 'em, you big monkey."

This went on, until she was nearly unconscious from it all. It was then that her fingers, gripping hilt and bow so tightly, slipped; her weapons were taken away from her. It made her scream for them, and she forced herself up, charging down the one who was carrying her knife and bow.

But four soldiers, two on each of Aeli's arms, grabbed her wrists and shoulders, catching her.

A single figure, clad like a commander, approached her. "How is it that you are still alive, girl?"

"You," she hissed. "you killed my parents."

"They were inferior," the commander rolled his eyes. "They, as well as you, belong somewhere dark."

"So you kill them?" Aeli tore herself away from her restrainers and threw herself at the commander, knocking both of them to the ground and locking her hands around his throat. "You will die for what you did."

"How nice," the commander turned away from her and began to depart. "You will be executed in four days, at dawn. Until then, you will have no food, and you will be in the dungeon. Oh," he glanced at the guards. "wake her when you get there."

Aeli was about to guess what he meant when she was punched so severely she blacked out and dropped.

The rest you know.

* * *

well, i didn't want to write it _again_. that's frustrating. chap five is longer, you'll all be happy.


	6. Chapter Five: How?

CHAPTER FIVE

Link tried as hard as he could to ignore Aeli's small sobs, but in a silent place, the littlest noise can be deafening. It made him depressed, to hear her cry, and not be able do anything about it.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Link asked tentatively as she quieted for a moment.

"I thought I asked you not to talk to me," Aeli snapped.

"Sheesh, I'm sorry for trying to help." Link muttered.

Her cries continued for a minute, then Link piped up again.

"How far away are we from each other, exactly?"

"Shut up!" she said angrily, her voice choked.

"No, seriously. I think I can get us out."

That got Aeli's attention. She raised her head and looked in his eyes. "Really?"

"Sure. I've been here before, a couple of years ago. I left something behind a brick in the wall in case I ever got here again. I was where you are now. There's a loose stone by your left hand, try it." Link pointed out. His wrists had been thinner than now, so he easily slipped out of the manacles. He was left-handed, so the left side was simpler for him to use.

Aeli's fingers felt the stones around her left hand, and one moved.

"I found it!" she could hardly keep the excitement from her voice. The brick scattered snowlike dust as Aeli shifted it, trying to move it down.

Giving up, she dropped it into her lap; it wasn't as heavy, nor as big as she thought, but she still felt its weight crashing into her thighs. Aeli pulled from a long, thin metal piece, almost as thin as wire, from the hole, and repeated quietly,

"I found it,"

"Great! Pick the lock on your chains with it." Link kept his voice low as well. They didn't need the guards outside the dungeon door to hear them.

Aeli found the keyhole on her right wrist easily enough, then shifted the pick and unlocked her other hand. As soon as she was free, she turned to Link and unlocked his chains.

"Thanks," Link rubbed his wrists, eyeing the chafed flesh with disdain, then both of them stood, looking around for an escape route.

"Look there," Aeli pointed above them, where a barred window was.

"It's barred. We won't be able to break those. I got out last time by knocking out the guard and getting through a window out in the hall. I had to smash it, but that's cool with you, right?"

"Whatever," Aeli shrugged. "All I want is to kill the man who murdered my parents."

"Lunir?"

"So that's his name?"

"Yes. He shot a good friend of mine when the guards captured me, so I want to kill him as well."

"What was his name? Your friend," Aeli found herself asking.

"Her name was Clynn," Link sighed. "She was shot in the throat for trying to help me escape, and for attacking a royal guard."

"I'm sorry,"

"You shouldn't be. Lunir murdered her, so he's the one who should be sorry." Link began to stealthily move towards the bend, around which was the door.

"He burned my parents alive,"

At this, Link looked into Aeli's eyes. "Burning is the worst way to die,"

"That's why he must pay." malice was lacing her voice, which was lowered to a whisper.

Link moved a little closer to her. "I'm sorry,"

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she smiled a small smile, then stood behind the door, flattened against the wall. "Call for help, okay?"

Link positioned himself just beyond the bend.

"Help! Guard, help me!" he called loudly, and, sure enough, a soldier, though grumbling, had opened the door and was walking around the bend.

There was a muffled choke and a sharp _crack_. Then Aeli dumped the dead man to the ground, his neck broken in one quick movement.

"Let's go!" she grabbed his arm and dragged him through the doorway, glancing from side to side, then saw the window.

It was glass, perfect stained glass, with a picture of the Triforce on it. Aeli and Link eyed each other for a moment, then they both ran forward, arms protecting their heads, and smashed though the window as they charged it.

Glass was all around them as they dropped into the moat heads first. Link and Aeli could feel the stings of cuts on their arms and faces as they struck the water.

Aeli was dazed from hitting the water so hard, and she was stunned for a minute before swimming to the shore of the moat. Link was most likely underwater still, she deemed. Sure enough, his dirty-blond head surfaced seconds later, coughing.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes, are you?" Aeli gripped the side of the castle, one of the jutting bricks. Link's hand found one as well and he managed to stay afloat.

"Yes," he replied, assessing their dilemma.

This was no moat. It was a river with a strong current, and it was pulling them somewhere. The last time Link had fallen from the window a few years previously, he had landed on the ground.

"We should let the current take us," Aeli said.

"Why?" Link creased his eyebrows.

"Because I have a feeling," Aeli replied, beginning to let go.

Link had no choice but to listen to her. He loosed his grip and let the current pull him away, Aeli right behind.

Water filled his lungs as they were swept downstream. His head began to feel dizzy, and dots flashed behind his eyelids.

Aeli was in a similar position. She hit her head sharply on something, maybe a rock, as she was dragged under by the strength of the water, and was on the edge of unconsciousness.

Link knew he couldn't stay above the water for much longer, and then he saw a flash of red-orange hair and light indigo skin, and he could tell Aeli was no longer conscious. He struggled to swim to her, for fear that if she didn't wake, she'd drown.

He gripped her arm and pulled her head above the surface, spitting out the sour riverwater. Link's eyes stung and he knew he couldn't hold himself and Aeli up for long.

But, suddenly, he woke. Link was lying on the shore of the river, soaked through, on his stomach.

He pushed himself up with his arms, groaning, and scanned the area for Aeli. Sure enough, she had been thrown ashore as well, on her back, her red-orange hair spread out around her, and a slight pool of blood around one side of her head.

"Aeli," he shook her, gently. "Aeli, wake up."

As she groaned, Link looked around them, trying to get his bearings. They were just by a heavy stone bridge, it was after twilight, nearly nighttime, and a heavy downpour was pelting them mercilessly.

"Where are we?" Aeli held one hand against the side of her head, finger numb with the cold water, and when she pulled it away, blood painted her palm. She swore softly and wiped it off on her leggings.

"In Hyrule Field, I think," Link bit his lip.

"I lived somewhere down south. We might be a little far from my old home, but if we hurry we can get there fast. There's a little village near there." Aeli brought up, trying to ignore the hot trickle down the side of her face.

Link, however, noticed the bright red of her blood against the light blue-indigo of her skin. "You're bleeding,"

"No shit, sherlock," Aeli rolled her eyes. "It's fine, just a scratch."

"You sure?"

"Let's just go," Aeli peered through the heavy rain, and set off south. "Faron Province should be this way."

Link trotted to keep up. "Um, Aeli?" he pointed to her head. "That's not just a scratch. It look like someone tried to cut your head off."

Aeli froze. Her hand found its way back to her wound, and then she felt the slash, her breath catching. She had been cut with a blade, not a rock or a stick in the water, she knew that.

The strange thing was that she didn't remember how it had happened.

* * *

yah, i know. that, right there, is a major OMG. but i'm not telling how it happened yet. HA!!!

And yes, i used the line "No shit, sherlock" from a review on "Two Sides". i just had to. THANKS FOR THE LINE, ZackWarrenOC!!!! it was just too hilarious to be left in a review!!!!


	7. Chapter Six: Will of the Heart

CHAPTER SIX

Aeli's heart dropped into her stomach as she felt the slash, deep in the side of her head and bleeding.

"How did that happen? Were you attacked?" Link couldn't tear his eyes away from the wound, but Aeli's piercing azure gaze found his own midnight blue stare.

Aeli's hand was frozen in place; she couldn't move it. "I... I don't know." she stuttered weakly. The blood began to flow over her palm, and she stared numbly at her painted hands, as if her mind was trying to figure out what was wrong.

"You're tripping," Link stepped forward to catch her from falling, but she used her free hand to shove him away.

"Get back!" Aeli snapped. "I'm perfectly capable." Unfortunately for her, she began to feel dizzy as she struck at him.

"You're going to fall," Link warned.

"No, I won't!" Aeli retorted, seconds later dropping to her knees and feeling nausea stab through her body.

"You need somewhere to rest for a while," Link offered a hand to help her up, and, reluctantly, Aeli took it. She knew she was weak.

"My father used to tell me stories about these places," Aeli said softly, gazing at the bridge. "He said his ancestors, the Hero and the Twilight Princess, carried tales of their trials to restore light to Hyrule. This bridge is far from Ordon."

"We need to stop the bleeding," Link said desperately, seeing the blood trickling down the side of her head.

"It'll stop eventually,"

"Yeah, when your heart stops beating," Link rolled his eyes and moved her fiery hair away from the injury with his fingers.

"Back off, slick," Aeli slapped his hand away. "I'm not that easy."

"Don't just assume that," Link wrinkled his nose. "You're so _weird_. I just need to see how bad your wound is."

"Fine," Aeli curled her lip in disgust and flinched at his touch, but Link was able to move her thick, red-orange hair out of the way.

It was a long slash, from her hairline to about just below her eye, vertically stretching across her head. But, fortunately for Aeli, it wasn't deep enough to pose a real threat. However, it needed to be bound, and soon, or she'd lose too much blood and pass out.

"It's not deep, but you need bandages or you'll go unconscious."

"Whatever," Aeli flipped her hair back in front of the wound. "Do you have anything to wrap it with?"

"_It_," Link said slowly. "is your head."

"I know that, I'm not stupid." Aeli was getting irritated. "I'll repeat my question: DO. YOU. HAVE. ANY -"

"No, no I don't!" Link cut her off hastily. "And if we can't get any, you'll be in rough shape." in response to Aeli's raised eyebrows, he added, "As in dead."

"So where can we get some bandages?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"Well, isn't that _dandy_." Aeli snapped.

"Arguing isn't going to save you," Link pointed out.

"It sure won't, but it makes me feel good to know I'm winning."

"Whoever said you were winning?"

"I did."

"Well, you aren't,"

"Yeah, sure,"

"You're not!"

"You wish!"

"Just shut up! We need to get out of the rain!" Link gave up and yelled at her.

Aeli pouted. "Fine. Is there a cave or something anywhere?" She pulled the hood of her tunic over her head, even though it did no good whatsoever.

"There's a path that way, maybe there's a village or something." Link turned northward instead of south.

"But Faron Province is this way," Aeli protested.

"If a village is nearby, it'll be this way. You can stay and die if you want; I doubt you'll get very far. Of course, it's your choice." Link called over the noise of the rain, his back to her as he walked.

Aeli really didn't have a choice. So she caught up with him and muttered under her breath, "You'd better be right."

Link swallowed and shook his head, raindrops clearing from his vision. He hoped he was right too.

Aeli wasn't sure how long they walked, or how many times her blood dripped from the side of her head, but she knew she didn't have much time left before she fell unconscious. She didn't just feel cold, she felt as though she were freezing from the inside out, and it made her skin crawl. Aeli knew she was stumbling, but her mind couldn't process it fast enough, and she couldn't prevent it. Her hands were shaking as she continued to walk, and her blood continued to flow.

She couldn't go on like this.

Not for long.

Aeli struggled to swallow, her throat choked up. Suddenly, she thought of her mother, how mercilessly she had died, how much Aeli, as her daughter, wanted revenge.

It was this thought that kept bringing her back. That pushed away the darkness of unconsciousness that lingered at the corners of her mind.

That, and the prospect of having to be carried.

But the way the rain kept pouring down, it just tired her. Her hooded tunic, her leggings, her boots, it all felt so heavy. She couldn't help faltering; and despite how much she disliked the young man beside her, she felt relieved to know he was there.

"Aeli?" a voice was calling her name from far off. "Aeli?"

Her blurry vision cleared and she found herself on her back. Someone with dirty-blond hair - Link? - was waving a hand in front of her face, on his knees by her.

"I... I fell..." she whispered weakly.

"The hell you did." Link sighed. "You're really weak, Aeli."

"I am... ?" her brain was fuzzy; she could barely notice he was speaking at all.

"There's a cave up ahead, maybe we can rest there for a while." Link offered a hand as he straightened, and Aeli tried to take it, but her arms felt like lead, and she couldn't move them. Even when she was on her back, her head was still spinning, making her want to throw up.

"I... I can't... move..." Aeli's cerulean eyes fluttered closed and she let out a sigh.

"Aeli? Aeli!" Link shook her by the shoulder, but she didn't respond.

He had no choice. He needed to carry her. Slipping one arm under her head and the other under her legs, he hoisted her up from the muddy path.

Aeli wasn't very heavy, but she was still a burden. Link adjusted her so her still-bloody head was on his shoulder, and continued to walk.

The cave he had seen through the sheeting rain was only about twenty paces away, and he made his way towards it, his boots slipping through the slick mud.

The cave wasn't really a cave, he noticed. It was a tunnel.

Setting Aeli down up against the wall, he brushed her dripping hair out of the way and inspected her wound.

She was losing so much blood, it was difficult to tell, but he what he could see was that the flesh around the injury was white with cold; uncharacteristic for her usual light blue-indigo color. Her breath rattled in the back of her throat, as if she was slowly being choked.

Link knew he couldn't help her by himself, so he stood. Maybe something at the end of this tunnel could save Aeli's life.

He set off at a run, knowing time was of the essence. It was a long tunnel, but the image of Aeli lying against the wall of the passage made him press on.

He exited in a village, run down and boarded up. From the heavy rain it was impossible to tell how big the village was, so he shouted out,

"Someone, please help me! Is anyone there?! Help!"

No reply. Link felt frustration boiling inside him and he opened his mouth to yell again.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't get the chance.

* * *

yah, i know. EVIL MEAN NIRY, GIVING US CLIFFIES. WE IZ MAD!!!! well, deal wit it. i like cliffies. BTW peeps: i'm not uploading any more chapters until i get at least 5 reviews, and they cant all be from the same person. yah, i know. EVIL MEAN NIRY MAKING US REVIEW!!! well, i want to know if my story's read. thanks pplz!!!

BTW i was listening to "Will of the Heart" while i wrote this. it's a beautiful sad song, I have the url. ignore the pic of Renji Abarai, k? listen to the music where i wrote "Aeli wasn't sure how long they walked." i was literally crying when i wrote that. :'( im listening to it right now.

just youtube search "Will of the heart bleach" and click on the one with the dude w/ red hair named Renji Abarai. (it sayz Abarai Renji in the background)


	8. Chapter Seven: Friend or Foe?

_**Author's note: **_**I've been thinking a bit, and I decided, what the hell. I'm gonna update anyway. Enjoyz!!!!**

CHAPTER SEVEN

Link's head throbbed like hell when he woke; on his side and cloaked in darkness. Groaning, he found his hands tied behind him and his eyes blindfolded. Link pulled his hands under his knees and struggled to free himself, even though he had no idea where he was or what had happened to Aeli.

Pulling his bound hands in front of his covered eyes, he was able to pull the fold off of his head.

He was nearly blinded by light almost immediately. To his left he saw Aeli, her head bandaged and her eyes covered as well, hands tied behind her back. They were in some kind of house, a little place, with one bed and a fireplace that served as a stove.

Whoever had brought them here obviously wanted them alive.

Link removed Aeli's blindfold and untied her hands before gently shaking her. Her shoulder was still damp, so they hadn't been out of the rain long.

"Aeli?" he said softly, but the girl refused to open her eyes.

"You must be stupid if you think she'll wake after all the blood she lost," someone called sarcastically.

Link whipped around, standing almost immediately.

A young man was behind him, maybe seventeen or eighteen, with black hair and dark eyes that shone in the firelight. He was tall, and his face was angled and tan, like a hawk's. He was dressed all in black from his tunic to his boots, kind of like Link, but it more complimented this young man than himself.

"And who are you?" Link asked, trying to keep interest out of his voice.

"My name is Khal. I live here."

"Why did you tie us up?"

Khal rested a hand on the knife in his belt and hissed, "Watch it, kid. I'm the one with a blade so _I'll_ be the one asking questions. Why is your sister so different from you?"

"She's not my sister." Link growled, not at all thrilled at being told what to do.

"Who is she?" Khal persisted, his dark eyes resting on Aeli's prone form.

"Just a friend." Link didn't want to say much else, and he knew Aeli would agree. But, at the moment, she wasn't really doing anything.

" 'Just a friend'? Why was she injured?"

Link decided to be honest. "I don't know. We both blacked out. When I woke up, she was bleeding."

"Someone attacked her."

"Well, obviously,"

Khal was clearly getting frustrated with him, and that made Link feel better. Just then, Aeli groaned and opened her eyes, sitting up.

"Who the hell are you?" were the first words from her light purple lips.

"Watch it," Khal warned. "I saved your life."

"Not to seem, y'know, too polite, but _he,_" Aeli stood and pointed to Link. "was doing fine on his own, thanks."

"He almost got himself killed," Khal said, almost weakly.

"Only because you whacked me on the head!" Link protested angrily.

"Why didn't you leave me to die? Was I too pretty for you?" Aeli taunted.

"Goddesses, you put a freakin' _bump_ on my head!" Link yelled angrily. "Thanks a lot! I won't be able to think for a week!"

"SHUT UP!" Khal shouted so loudly, Link and Aeli froze.

Khal drew his knife and pressed an ear against the door, listening intently. Save for the faint crackle of the fire, it was dead silent.

Khal hissed impatiently, "Dammit! They've heard us."

"Who?" Link and Aeli said in unison, but the young man in black refused to listen to them and avoided the question.

"Can either of you shoot a bow?" he asked instead.

"I can," Aeli replied at once.

"Then here," Khal reached above the door frame and pulled down a snow colored bow, made of the branch of a yew tree and painted pure white. "Fire where I tell you and when, understood?"

"Hold on," Link demanded. "What's this all about?"

"Listen, kid," Khal cut him off. "If you want to live, you'll do as I say." The older boy handed Link a sword. "Can you use this?"

"I've learned before," Link took it.

"It's called the Ordon Sword, and it's worth more than your life, so take good care of it, alright?" Khal gripped the blade for a second longer than necessary before relinquishing it.

At the mention of its name, Aeli took in a sharp breath. She knew that sword, it had once belonged to her ancestor, the Ancient Hero.

"Now, when I open the door, you charge left, since that's your strong side," he pointed to Link. "and you charge right." he said to Aeli. "I'm going straight ahead."

"Just what exactly are we up against?" Link asked, meeting Khal's dark eyes.

A heavy sigh echoed through the fire lit room. "It is best you know. Long ago, they thrived in this village, but now for some odd reason, they have become monsters. Do not hesitate, even for a second, or they'll kill you. Do you understand?"

Nods from both of them.

"Appearances are deceiving. Remember this as you kill them."

"Just what are they, exactly?" Aeli could barely disguise the quiver of fear in her voice.

Khal ignored her and threw open the door. Surrounding the house, which was the last one on the dirt path, were literally hundreds of cats.

They hissed and spat, baring their teeth and showing their claws at Khal, Aeli, and Link, who were pretty much stunned.

"Cats?" Aeli managed to say in confusion.

One single, cream-colored kitten, small and defenseless, lumbered up to them, her eyes glowing green orbs, and said softly,

"Are you going to kill us? Please, miss, don't kill us."

"What?" Link wrinkled his brow. "You can... talk?"

The kitten went on, her eyes beginning to flash, her vertical pupils growing large. "I don't want you to hurt us." Her fangs were bared and she was jumping at them in a matter of seconds with a yowl.

The kitten landed on Aeli, and raked furiously at the girl's face, causing her to yell as the claws pricked the bandage on her head.

Spots of blood splattered the ground as Aeli threw the cat down and shot her.

That set off a bomb. The other cats leapt for them, howling, yelping, screaming, hissing, and attacking.

As planned, Aeli went right, Link went left, and Khal went straight into the lunging mass of killing cats.

Link drew the Ordon Sword, swinging at as many cats as he could, and killing with every stroke. Even though he could strike them down when they jumped, his legs were unprotected and soon he could barely stand.

Aeli's head wound opened and blood trickled down the side of her head and into her eyes, and the light, misty drizzle made it hard to see, but she shot at virtually anything that was below her knees, and she killed more cats than she cared to count.

Khal; he was like a demon. His skills were incredible, techniques faster than lightning flew across the ground and over his head, lethal strikes, quick and deadly.

Link faltered for a second, in awe, then regained composure and continued his fight. Jealousy swept through him only for a moment, then it was gone.

Aeli felt like though another part of her had taken over, as if the smell of blood and rain had opened a door of some kind. She was only aware of her enemies; the hundreds of demon-cats who so desperately wanted to kill her.

After what seemed like an eternity, the cats, hissing and spitting, retreated to the dark corners of the boarded buildings.

Aeli tentatively reached to her head to feel her injury. As expected, it was bleeding, and she was starting to get dizzy again.

"You're both a couple of idiots," Khal sheathed his sword and opened the door for them to go back inside. "You should never have come here."

"Well, sor_ry_." Aeli rolled her eyes. "It's not like it's my fault my parents burned alive, but it is kinda Link's fault he attacked Hyrulian soldiers."

Khal ignored them. "If you want sympathy, go somewhere else."

Link noticed Aeli open her mouth to retort and cut across her. "We don't want sympathy. We want revenge. Can you point us in the direction of Ordon?"

Khal pushed them inside and locked the door behind them, looking sideways through the dirty window to make sure they weren't being watched.

"Ordon is leagues from here," Khal didn't take his eyes off the tinted glass for a minute. "And I doubt it's Ordonians you seek revenge on. They're the most peaceful people I know."

"It's not like we're going there to slaughter them." Aeli sighed in irritation. "I lived near there."

"I thought you said your parents burned alive," Khal faced her.

Aeli boldly stared back. "Emphasis on the word 'lived'." she said in an annoyed voice.

Link was positive now he didn't like Khal. There was just something about the dark young man that made Link uneasy.

And, Khal had Aeli's attention more than he did. Link wanted to be friends with her, but she wasn't a really friendly type. She's more the...... "I - Insult - You - And - You - Cry" type. Remarkably like her ancestress, Twilight Princess Midna.

"If you really want to go to Ordon," Khal's voice brought Link from his thoughts. "I can take you there."

Before Link could say anything, Aeli cut over him.

"Fine. Take us there."

* * *

as i said in the beginning of this chapter, i decided to update because i hate leaving you on edge about all this. Cliffies are a writer's best friends and worst enemies.

screw 5 reviews. i'll update anyway.


	9. Chapter Eight: Enemy Revealed

CHAPTER EIGHT

Khal made them camp out in a different building; though it was more like a barn, drafty and cold, but well-protected by boards over the doors and broken windows. He didn't like the idea of a thief and a freaky-looking girl, however pretty, in his house.

Aeli had built up a little fire for them to see because it was so dark out, but even then shadows reached up across the walls, making the scene eerie.

"What a dope," Aeli scoffed in soft annoyance. "He could have at least given us some blankets or something."

"I don't like him," Link stared at the fire. "He gives me the creeps."

"Why? Because he's so much handsomer, tougher, and stronger than you are?" the Twili girl teased.

"Wha-!? No!" Link denied it immediately.

Aeli grinned faintly. "It's okay, I was only kidding. I don't like him either."

She poked at the fire with a stick, just to watch the sparks that glittered against the dark ceiling for a moment before they were gone. "How long have you been alone?" she asked suddenly, but quietly.

"For as long as I can remember. But I'm not really alone, I have Jeida, the bartender in Castle Town, and I have a few friends out and around. I had Clynn, too." Link flicked his eyes up to Aeli's face, but she avoided him.

With another little smile, Aeli asked, "Was she pretty? Your friend."

"She was beautiful," Link replied without thinking, his mind's eye filled with images of Clynn's face. It was then that Link learned a little lesson: While speaking to a teenage girl who has bluish skin and fiery hair, never tell her that you had a normal friend who was beautiful. You might "accidentally" catch on fire.

After much hollering, jumping, and stop-drop-and-rolling, Link's knee was no longer burning, and Aeli's temper had subsided.

"Do you think the cats are still out there?" she asked after a while.

"Most likely," Link bit his lip and flicked his hair from his eyes.

"Do that again," Aeli said suddenly.

"What?" Link looked up from the little fire.

"Flick your hair."

"Flick my hair? Why?" Link went on the defensive. He didn't like being told what to do, and flicking his hair was one thing he did automatically. No telling.

"Because I'm asking you to," Aeli glared and added, "nicely."

Link gulped. He didn't want to catch fire again, so he shook his bangs in front of his eyes, then flicked them out of the way.

"Why flick my hair?" he asked.

"I don't know. I like it." Aeli's lips formed a small grin, and she turned back to the fire. "It makes you look cool."

Link felt much better as he fell asleep that night.

* * *

"Hey, Link," it was Aeli. Link's eyes flickered open and he found himself staring directly at her eyes, a lighter, but just as intense blue as his own.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I can hear something outside. I think Khal's talking to someone, but I don't want to go by myself." Aeli leaned back and glanced at the barn door.

The fire was reduced to a pile of glowing embers and ashes, so Link could just barely see her slim outline as she stood. Listening well, Link could indeed hear voices. One was recognizably Khal's, but another, quieter voice was reaching his pointed, Hylian ears. A female one.

Aeli cracked open the barn door, with Link just behind her. Khal was standing in a stretch of moonlight, talking softly to a girl about their age, who was cloaked.

" ...I told you, they're strange. The girl looks like she's some kind of demon, and the boy seems like street scum. I don't like them."

"They just showed up? All of a sudden?" the girl asked.

"The girl was unconscious and bloody, and the boy was yelling for help. I helped them, but they want me to take them to Ordon. What should I do?"

There was a moment of silence in the stretch of moonlight, then the girl said, almost too softly to hear, "Something isn't right. The air's thick with a rotten scent. The smell of a Twili has always been disgusting. But something more is going to come. Something bad." she raised her head a little, so the light of the sky made her nose, mouth, and chin visible. Her skin was a dark tan, but that was all Link and Aeli could see from the cracked door. "I feel as if something is approaching. Be careful, Chosen One."

"I will, Nalana," he inclined his head, and the girl, with a slight nod, disappeared into the shadows, her face still not visible.

Link and Aeli ducked back into the barn and crouched by the embers of the fire.

"Well, what do you make of that?" Link whispered after a long silence.

"I think something's wrong. Why did she call him the Chosen One? What does all this mean?" Aeli creased her brows.

"Don't ask me, I'm just as baffled as you."

Aeli said softly, in annoyance, "And I don't smell disgusting."

Link grinned slyly. "No, I always thought you smelled wonderful."

Another little lesson learned by Link: Never tell a girl she smells good unless she asks you if she does. She might hit you upside the head, and that could be painful.

"So, what do you think?" Aeli asked Link, who was rubbing his aching skull. "What should we do about them?"

"There's really nothing we can do." Link was mentally cursing Aeli's strength. He'd have a headache until Judgement Day. "We'll just have to wait and see if she shows up again."

"How eventful. _Not_. I say we confront him and ask about her." Aeli rolled her eyes.

"Then he'll know we're onto him. We have to be sneaky."

"And you'd know all about being sneaky, wouldn't you, you little thief?"

Link huffed. "_Former_ thief."

"Whatever. The point is, Khal's already on some kind of mission. Whatever that mission is, we're obviously an impediment to it. His little girlfriend, Nalana, or whatever her name is, wants us out of the way."

"What a bitch," Link muttered.

Aeli giggled. "Ha ha, yeah."

Not much more was said that night. Aeli used a little haystack as a pillow, while Link made himself comfortable on the cold floor.

Four minutes after they spoke, the barn door creaked open again. From Aeli's soft breathing, she had already fallen asleep, so their quiet visitor stepped silently past the dormant Twili girl.

Link's eyes were closed, but he knew someone was there. His senses were on full alert, screaming at him to see who it was, but he didn't.

A hand snaked its way around his throat, and hoisted him off the floor with a small, painful gurgle. It was the young woman from before, talking to Khal. Nalana.

"I could tell you were listening to us, boy," she hissed. "I could see you in the doorway."

Link's feet were high off the floor, he clawed at her hands and choked for breath. For such a small figure, she was incredibly strong.

"If you try to interfere in my affairs, I will kill you. Understood?" her eyes were upturned, and glowed through the darkness of her hood a golden color.

"P-please," Link hoarsely whispered. "Let me down."

She dropped him suddenly, but nonchalantly, her hand still in the air. Link landed on his feet but went to his knees, gasping for breath.

"I know who you are," she said softly. "I know what your purpose is. Farore made a mistake in choosing you, you're nothing but a sniveling- " she kicked him in the face, knocking him onto his back. He could taste blood. "selfish- " she stepped on his chest, making sure his breathing was labored. "_child._ You will die, you little brat."

She threw back her hood and stared down on him. Her hair was long and orange, the brightness of the color rivaling that of Aeli's, her skin darkly tanned, and her eyes a bright yellow-gold. She must be a Gerudo.

"I have watched and waited far too long to have my victory demolished by the likes of you. Just go back to the streets, where you belong."

Nalana put all of her weight on her booted foot, making Link wince. She stomped hard on his chest, and Link yelped, blood spraying from his mouth as he choked.

A sudden urge to fight back overtook him, and he twisted her foot around so she cried out in surprise. Jumping to his feet, he punched her in the jaw, feeling his knuckles scratch her face, and a slight spot of redness, her blood, showed on his hand and her cheek in the faint light.

She spat blood onto the floor at his feet and grinned slightly. "Not bad." she commented, pulling her hood back over her head. "You might just survive. Not that I'm hoping or anything."

"Back off, bitch." Aeli was behind Nalana now, fully awake from the sounds of the struggle. "Leave him alone."

"Oh, the Twili." Nalana looked unimpressed. "You serve no purpose but to exist. I'd watch my back if I were you, because you're not bound by the Goddesses' Law. I'll kill you myself, just wait."

She shoved past Aeli and out into the night, propelled by some unknown force. In moments, Nalana was gone.

Link was overcome by exhaustion and pain, and he fell to his hands and knees, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

"Hey!" Aeli knelt by him, her indigo-blue hand on his shoulder. "She beat you pretty bad. We don't really have anything to help, do we?"

"No," Link's breathing was heavy, and his vision was fuzzy. "I can't keep my eyes open, Aeli."

"Hold on, Link. Just hold on."

He knew how badly Nalana had injured him. Even holding herself back, she'd caused serious damage.

Link looked up at Aeli as her face blurred out. Her lips were moving, but all he could hear was the faint pounding of his heart.

Darkness reigned.

* * *

just what is khal up to anyway? you'll see. (insert evil chuckling)


	10. Chapter Nine: A Friend Is Taken

CHAPTER NINE

"I'll tell you what happened, you bastard!" Aeli was shouting. "Your girlfriend freakin' _attacked_ him, that's what!"

"I don't have a girlfriend!" Khal retorted. "You don't have to yell at me for what Nalana did!"

"Din, Farore, and Nayru!" Aeli cursed. "Keep that bitch away from him, or I'll kill you, got it?"

Link cracked his eyes open. He was on a bed, or something else soft, and his torso felt crushed and weak. His lungs were wheezing and his head was aching.

"Where am I?" he croaked, and the attention of Khal and Aeli was directed at him. It was daytime now, though how many days had passed, he didn't know.

"You're in Khal's house," Aeli explained. "You've been unconscious for almost a day."

Link then said several vulgar words that would have made his mother scream at him. Aeli was about to slap him upside the head, but restrained herself in time.

"Where'd you learn sailor talk?" she asked him jokingly.

"Sailor talk?"

"That's what my father called swearing."

"Jeida, the bartender in Castle Town,"

"Sounds like a charming woman." Aeli rolled her bright blue eyes.

Khal loudly cleared his throat, making the Twili girl and the injured thief look up at him in confusion. "As soon as you can travel, we're leaving. Got it?"

"Yeah yeah. Whatever." Aeli irritably brushed him off. "Why don't you go have an ominous conversation with a cloaked figure in the moonlight?"

Link sniggered, then coughed and fell silent.

Khal huffed and left, the door slamming shut behind him and leaving Aeli and Link alone in his house.

Aeli sat down in a chair by the bed. "I'm sorry,"

"For what?" Link asked.

"For letting her beat you. I should have woken sooner; if I had then this wouldn't have happened." Aeli averted her eyes. She was in silent turmoil about this, he knew it.

"Hey," Link reached out and took her hand. He wasn't sure why, but he did. "It's not your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for."

Aeli's lips betrayed a small grin, and she lowered her eyes shyly. Then she pulled her hand away from his and stood. "I'm gonna go find something to eat. See you later." She grabbed the white yew bow from a small table across from the bed, and keeping her own little smile, the young Twili girl left the house.

Link felt suddenly quite alone. He and Aeli hadn't really parted company for two long days, and having her near by felt...... natural.

He sighed and closed his eyes. Link knew he needed rest, so he went to sleep.

* * *

Aeli walked down the dirt road from Khal's house, but all she could see were boarded buildings. No trees, no forest, no cats.

_Oh well. _she thought. _Eating cats wouldn't have been all that great anyway. _

She walked a bit more, until she came to a tunnel at the end of the road, a little past all the shabby buildings. It was the same tunnel they'd arrived from, where Aeli herself had been unconscious until Khal found her.

Aeli gingerly reached to her head and touched the bandages. The slash on her head hadn't completely healed, but when she returned later, she'd bug Khal for a needle and thread to stitch it up.

It didn't take much effort to leave the village. She knew Link was safe in Khal's house, even if they distrusted him. And Link's left hand hadn't been hurt too bad, so he could fight if he needed to.

Wait.

Link was left-handed; Aeli could tell by how he usually left his right hand useless at his side. But when he took the Ordon Sword from Khal, he'd used his right hand. So how had Khal known he was left-handed?

_"You go left, because that's your strong side,"_ he'd said.

Aeli had been walking this whole time, and now she stopped at the mouth of the tunnel. She was surrounded by stone as far as the eye could see, as if she was in a valley.

But how had Khal known?

She went on the offensive. If Khal knew something like that without being told, he was an enemy. Something about him made her skin crawl; there was no doubt about it, his intentions were for his own benefit, not for theirs.

Aeli turned to go back, bow brandished. She had to get to Link, now.

"Going somewhere, my dear?" a voice, deep and cold, called to her.

She whirled around, an arrow notched, and fired it immediately at the speaker, but black-gloved fingers caught it easily. It was a man with black skin and fire-colored hair rivaling her own, cloaked in ebony and dressed similarly, with gold embroidery and heavy metal boots.

"What do you want?" she snapped, bow hanging uselessly at her side. She knew she couldn't fire at him; he'd only catch her arrows.

"I want many things, Aeli. One of them is the death of your friend, the thief." he snapped the arrow he'd caught between two fingers and dropped the pieces.

"Go to hell," she snarled.

"Ever wonder how you wounded your head?" he sneered, a sickening grin on his black-skinned face.

Aeli froze. Her hand found its way up to her bandages, and her memory flashed before her eyes as she remembered:

_The rain was still falling. It was cold, so cold, like ice droplets trickling down her flesh. It made goosebumps rise on her body, and that was made her open her eyes._

_ At first, Aeli could see nothing, for the rain was so thick, like a sheet before her blurred eyes. Then, she made out a shadowy figure, just watching her and Link, who was unconscious a little ways from her position now. _

_ Aeli thought it was her imagination, and looked away to her senseless companion._

_ "Link," she'd been shaking him. "Wake up, you dolt."_

_ "A Twili girl, eh?" that cold voice had called over the rain. "There's something you don't see every day. A fine beauty, to be sure, but strange, odd, like some kind of animal."_

_ "Who the _hell_ talks to me like that?" Aeli sprang up, bristling, and took several steps towards him. "Who d'you think you are?" she stopped._

_ "I think," the man walked closer, and she saw his orange hair, his black skin, and his black armor trimmed in gold. She also saw that he was about seven feet tall. "that I am the future king of Hyrule."_

_ Aeli snorted. "Sure, yeah, whatever you say. Zelda's the ruler of Hyrule. She has been for almost a decade. Dream on."_

_ He ignored her and continued to walk forward. "And this young man must be the destined thief. Can't say I'm impressed; he looks scrawny, like a rat." _

_ The giant of a man stooped over and picked up the unconscious Link by the throat. "He's small. I should kill him now and get it over with." He drew a huge sword from a sheath in his belt, and prepared to run Link through._

_ "Stop!" Aeli ran forward, her fist smashing into the man's black-skinned cheek, and he dropped the thief, cursing. _

_ When her parents were still alive, they taught her how to fight without a blade or a bow. They taught her to use her arms and legs as weapons._

_ Aeli kicked him in the back of the knees, making him stumble, but he swiftly recovered and lashed out at her, his metal-clothed hand just missing her face._

_ "Brat!" he snarled. "You dare to strike at me? At Ganondorf, King of Darkness?" _

_ "King of Darkness, my arse!" Aeli snapped. "You're King of your own little world."_

_ He was too fast, she realized. His sword was getting more and more accurate._

_ Finally, she could no longer dodge him, and his sword point slashed through the flesh on the side of her head. It was deep enough to sting like a bee, and to bleed heavily._

_ "Ungh!" she cried out as it cut her, her head spinning as she fell._

_ "Listen closely, bitch," he hissed. "if you ever lash at me again, I will kill you. I was going to leave you to my ally, but if you do hit me again, she'll need to find some other prey."_

_ Aeli was trying to stem the flow of blood with her hand, and her eyes began to blur._

_ She blacked out._

"I remember you," she whispered as the flashback ended. "From that night. You were the one that attacked me."

"Indeed, you are not as stupid as you appear to be, Twili girl." the man in black armor, Ganondorf, had moved in between her and the tunnel leading back to the hidden village. "I may just let you live after all."

"Spare me, will ya? I've had enough of your I'm-King-So-Obey-Me crap. Go to hell, Ganondork!" Aeli rushed at him, running straight for him. He was caught off guard, and crouched in a defensive position, but Aeli rolled on her shoulder off to his side, got up, and ran again.

She didn't have time for this. She had to get to Link before Khal did.

"You aren't going anywhere," a strong hand grasped her fire-colored hair and yanked her back. Aeli landed hard on her back, but sprang up again. Ganondorf was once again between her and Link, and she curled her lip in disgust.

"What do you want from me?" she demanded.

"I need your help, Aeli." he drew his sword. "I need help killing your friend."

"I won't let you kill him! Stay away from us!" Aeli ran at him again, but his sword was too fast.

He slashed her across the midriff. Blood splattered the ground, and she fell on her back, screaming in agony. Her tunic was soaked already, the flesh was ripped from left to right by his blade. Aeli felt tears of pain streaking down her face, but she opened her eyes to stare him down with her crystal blue gaze.

"Damn you," she hoarsely muttered.

"You're in the way of what I want, Aeli. I have to eliminate the impediments." he leaned over her, and, holding his sword over her head, let droplets of her own blood drip onto her face. "Sleep well, Twili girl."

Aeli's eyes went dark.

* * *

AND SO...... ganondorf rears his ugly head at last. but why did aeli have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

you will see.....


	11. Chapter Ten: Chasing Midnight

CHAPTER TEN

Link woke with a start. It was dark out now, he could tell through the blackened window. But, he noticed as he looked around, Aeli and Khal were still gone. Was hunting really taking _that _long? And where had Khal gone, the sneaky weirdo?

But he thought too soon, for Khal came bursting into the house, demanding,

"Where is she?"

"Where is who?" Link replied stupidly. His head was fuzzy with sleep.

"Your friend, idiot. The Twili! I can't find her anywhere." Khal exclaimed.

"What?! You lost her?" Link half-jumped out of bed.

"I don't know where she went! You saw her last, what did she say? She didn't say she was leaving, did she?"

"No, she said she was hunting!"

"Hunting? I found blood outside the tunnel. It's her blood, not some animal's." Khal sighed. "I think she's been taken."

"_Blood?!_ You... you..." Link couldn't find a foul enough word, so he just went on. "How could you just let her be taken? She could be dead, and it's all your fault!"

"Calm down, kid!" Khal harshly cut across him. "There's still a chance to find her, if we go now! There's a trail!"

Link was already up. "Then let's go!"

The Ordon Sword somehow found itself strapped to his back, and Khal handed him a shield similar to the one the older boy was wearing. "Take this; you'll need it, trust me."

Link smiled a brief smile of thanks, and set the shield to his back, above the sword's sheath. They were gone in another five seconds.

Running seemed to be no problem for Link, injured as he was, then he figured it must be adrenaline, otherwise he wouldn't be this energetic.

The tunnel seemed larger than he remembered, but with Khal just ahead of him, and Aeli in such danger, Link hardly cared.

The darkness of the tunnel gave way to light again, and Link blinked. A puddle of blood was being absorbed into the ground a little ways forward; he could smell its sick, salty scent, and see signs of a struggle in the rough terrain.

"Which way?" Link demanded, and Khal studied the prints for a moment.

"I think..." he looked to his right, then left. "... this way!" he took off again, to the left. "It looks like he's taking her South!"

"Are you sure?" Link ran as fast as he could to keep up with Khal.

"Positive!"

They ran for a long time. Link's adrenaline didn't last long, but it was enough to keep him going; that, and the thought of finding Aeli's bloody, broken body, with her bright blue eyes open but unseeing.

At nightfall, they still hadn't caught up with her. Link and Khal were both bone-weary, but neither was willing to admit it to the other.

Finally, just before midnight, Khal, his breath choking in his throat, admitted, "We'll never catch them like this. We need to rest."

Link slowed when his companion stopped, but continued to stumble forward in the blackness. "We can't give up!" he harshly called back. "What if she dies?"

"Link, you're chasing midnight! As soon as you think you've caught up to her, she'll pass by you again! We're halfway to Faron now, we can't catch them exhausted!" Khal shouted to him desperately.

Link finally came to a halt. "Chasing midnight, eh?" his cobalt-blue eyes glinted dangerously as he turned his head to glare at Khal. "I'll make sure this hunt ends soon. And when it does, midnight won't be running anymore."

* * *

i know. short chapter. BAD NIRY!!!

but i wanted to keep it short and sweet. if u want long long chapters, just tell me, but keep in mind u might have to wait a lot longer for them.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Aeli's Haunted Mind

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I am so alone...

Am I dead?

I don't know.

Where is this place?

Why is it so dark?

Why is it so cold?

Who brought me here?

What do they want from me?

I can feel the warmth of blood soaking my skin.

Is it my blood?

Or the blood of someone else?

But who else would be here?

Is this Hell?

I have committed many sins.

I would not be surprised if it were.

There is nothing to be seen in this infernal darkness.

Or have I gone blind?

Have my eyes turned white with sightlessness?

Can I not see again?

Twinges of pain.

Broken thoughts.

Wishes.

Hopes.

Dreams.

**Black**.

No light.

Gone.

Alone.

Death.

You are welcome to take me.

I have been waiting.

Since they burned alive.

My parents.

**No!**

_Wait!_

HIM!

**_ Link!_**

Needs me!

Must _live!_

He **will** save me!

Or I will save myself!

I must!

** Revenge!**

On the bowman!

** Stop!**

_ No!_

_Pain!_

_** Blood!**_

Screaming.

Is that me?

It doesn't sound like me.

Am I _delusional?_

Dreaming?

Wishing?

Hoping?

More pain.

No.

Make it stop.

Please.

Am I asleep?

Is this all a dream?

I don't know.

I know nothing anymore.

Only this **darkness**.

And my haunted mind.

* * *

got kinda bored. wanted to write a creepy chapter.

yeah, right after updating this story like an hour ago.

is it creepy? i tried to make it creepy.

on the original document, each new space was in a different spot on the paper.

that would have made it creepier


	13. Chapter Twelve: Didn't See That Coming

CHAPTER TWELVE

Link and Khal woke before dawn of day one chasing after Aeli's kidnapper's trail, and set off before the sun was even close to rising.

They had no transport but their feet, and running on an empty stomach was painful. Both of them had high endurance levels, but this was suicide. They had no water, no food, only the swords they carried and the clothes they wore.

By afternoon of that same day, they were even more exhausted than before, and dark rain clouds were crowding overhead. The soft _pit pit pit_ of raindrops was hitting the ground, and even though the misty world in front of him, Link could not mistake the looming structure ahead of them.

"That's Hyrule Castle," he said, shielding his eyes from the rain.

"Castle Town is near there, right?" Khal squinted at the shadow.

"Yes, directly in front of it. But I can't go there anymore, the guards want me skinned alive for the things I've done." Link turned to go.

"What have you done?" Khal's voice stopped him.

"Nothing too serious. Just stolen all my life, attacked soldiers of the Royal Guard, escaped from prison with a murderer, broken several laws, and run from justice." Link looked again at the castle. "If I go back, my friends are in danger."

"I'm losing the trail from all the water in the air, and the rain, so we have to move on, then." Khal turned his back on the castle and set off at a jog again, with Link at his heels.

"I'll see if I can catch anything to eat." Link moved away from the path Khal was leading him in and went off in a different direction.

The rain had driven nearly every living creature into shelter, so it wasn't easy to hunt. In fact, it was virtually impossible. Nothing wanted to be in the downpour.

"Are you Link?" a woman's voice called to him.

Link whirled around, his back to one of the great walls of Castle Town, facing down a cloaked figure.

"Who wants to know?"

"I cannot speak my name in this place." her hood shadowed her face, but Link could barely make out two dark blue eyes. "I have much to tell you."

"What makes you think I'll listen to anything you have to say?" Link's sword flashed in his hand.

"I know where they have taken Aeli." she murmured.

Link's heart leapt into his throat. His stomach flip-flopped, making him sweat and want to throw up.

"Wh-what?" he stuttered, the sword falling from his nerveless fingers.

"The trees have ears." she glanced around them. "We cannot talk here. I can take you to a place where nothing we say will be heard. Come." she turned to lead him away, towards Castle Town.

"Wait," Link called, then his eyes combed the sodden landscape for the black-clothed young man, but Khal was nowhere in sight. Where had that weirdo gone now?

"We must hurry! I can sense something evil approaching!" she swiftly glided over the ground to the gates, then beckoned Link with a gloved hand.

Link sighed. Information like this did not come easily; if she was lying, he'd kill her, but something whispered to him she was truthful. Khal would have to wait.

She led him through groups of people in the crowded streets of the Town, expertly making her way to Jeida's bar.

"Keep your head down when we enter. Look at no one. Speak not a word." she cautioned, then pushed open the door.

The warmth and familiarity of Jeida's bar washed over him as they entered the building. It was not crowded this time of day, and the numbers were doubly low because of the rain. As usual, there were four or five soldiers at the back table, poring over some old map or other. Jeida leaned on the counter of the bar, chin on one hand, sighing. Link's female companion approached her and they whispered for a moment.

Link flicked his soaked hair from his eyes. It was darker from the water, and he knew if Jeida recognized him there'd be trouble from the soldiers.

Jeida guided the girl to a room behind the bar, and with a twitch of her hand, the girl gestured for Link to follow.

A ladder leading down through a trapdoor in the floor was in the center of the room, and the girl thanked Jeida quietly before pulling Link to the trapdoor and pushing him onto the ladder. She followed.

Link found himself in the water system below Castle Town. Mazes of passages and water flow leading in every direction from their current position were overflowing with rainwater.

The girl set off along them, as if she had come this way a million times.

"Do you know Jeida, the bartender?" she asked after a while, not looking at him.

"She was like an older sister to me," Link replied, struggling to keep up.

A pause.

"She asked me to look out for you. Jeida's not blind, she could recognize you. Ah, here we are." they arrived at a huge spiral staircase, winding around the circular walls. "I hope you aren't afraid of heights. There's some loose stone on the stairs, so stay as close to the wall as you can."

She went first, pressing her back against the damp, icy wall. Link followed her example, even though droplets of water trickled down his back and gave him gooseflesh. It took some time to inch their way up the spiral stairs. In some places, huge chunks of the stairs were missing, and they had to jump across. Link almost fell the third time jumping, but the girl easily hefted him over the lip of the stairs and to safety. Apparently, she was much stronger than she appeared.

At the top at last, Link looked at their surroundings with curiosity. This room, too, was round, like a cylinder, but two heavy wooden doors adorned one side.

The girl pulled a ring of jangling keys from her cloak and tried three in the lock of the doors before she managed to open the doors.

She led him outside, into the rain, and climbed deftly onto the nearby roof of a tower. Link could now see that they were in Hyrule Castle.

Or, above it.

"Hurry! We cannot be seen!" she dashed across the top of the roof and down to an upper tier of stone, where soldiers with bows usually stood to attack enemies from above. From there she continued to run across the rock, Link close behind. "Ignore the birds and they might ignore you!" she called back.

The monsters she referred to squawked in surprise at them, but their path made a wide arc between the birds and themselves, so they stayed on their perches.

The girl clutched at her hood when a sudden, harsh gust of wind nearly blew her off her feet. "Run across the bridge!" she shouted over the screams of the wind, and sprinted over a rickety-looking bridge, he was just behind her.

She continued to run over more roofs, for the tallest tower in sight, climbed up two ledges, pushed open and jumped through a window.

Link stayed inches behind her.

She slowed to a jog up some stairs, pushed open some double doors, shoved him inside, and slammed them shut.

"We will be safe here." she peered through the crack between the doors and sighed. "If we're lucky, the guard won't make his rounds for an hour or so. I can tell you all I know in that time."

"Where's Aeli?" Link demanded, flicking his dripping hair from his face.

"I cannot tell you right now. But I will in time." she walked past him to a slightly raised part of the floor, by two huge windows, and a bed to her right as she faced the windows.

"I don't have time!" Link yelled, striding over to her and gripping her shoulders. She was just about as tall as he was. "Tell me _where she is! _"

"She is not dead!" the girl cried. "She is being kept alive for only one purpose!"

"Really?" Link sarcastically asked, and let go of the girl's shoulders. "And what would that be?"

"To lure you into a trap!"

"What if I don't care?"

"Then you condemn her to death. If you do not go after her, she will be killed." the girl stepped back, careful to keep the hood hiding her face. "You really have no choice. You're right where he wants you to be."

"Who? Where who wants me to be?"

"The Ancient Foe. Ganondorf."

Link shook his head in disbelief. "They say he died six hundred years ago."

"He did. As he does nearly every six hundred years. If I am correct, and believe me, I am, then it's you he wants dead, not the girl." she looked out the windows again.

"Who are you?" Link asked for the third time. "How do you know all of this?"

"It is my duty to know this, as it was the duty of my ancestresses before me." her dark blue eyes met his, and she tossed back her hood.

Tresses of chocolatey brown hair fell back, and the tiara every one of her ancestresses had worn shone on her brow. Her face was heart-shaped, and her flawless skin was a cream color.

All in all, she was strikingly beautiful. Too bad beautiful girls made Link nervous.

"I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule."

* * *

just TRY to tell me you weren't waiting for Zelda to pop up. becuz i know you were.

reviews are hinthintVERYhinthint appreciated!!!!!


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Silent Cries

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Silence

Silence

Silence

It rings in my ears.

No, no, no!

Stop it!

Say something, Aeli!

Say anything!

But I can't.

I don't know why.

My wound

Is it still bleeding?

Is it still there at all?

Sun

Someone

Bring sunlight here.

I think

That I am blind.

Am I dead, and not blind?

Din, Farore, Nayru

Help me.

Link

If you can hear me

At all

Forgive me

For abandoning you.

I should be there

To help you

To warn you

About Khal.

There is something

Strange

About him.

Something ancient

Like Nalana.

But she

Is not here

Just me

Just my thoughts

Just my half-crazed mind

Just my dying body.

Link

Please

Hurry.

* * *

yes link, hurry up!!!!

oops. i forgot. im not supposed to egg on my characters. i could just write up a magical flying thing and have Link save Aeli from--

you almost got me there!!! I almost gave something away!!!!

nice try.

review there!!!!

(i know, it doesnt look like an arrow.....)


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Help From a Princess

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"P-Pri-Princess?" Link croaked. Zelda's big, gorgeous dark blue eyes studied him intently as she replied.

"Yes... that's me..." she said slowly. "Sit, please. We have much to discuss."

She sat on her bed, and patted the soft mattress at her side.

"Um... I'm soaked." Link gestured to his sopping tunic.

"It doesn't matter. We don't have a lot of time, and I can just say my window opened in the wind." Zelda impatiently cut smoothly over him.

Link sat down, rather awkwardly.

"Listen carefully. Six hundred years ago, the Hero of Time married the Twilight Princess. Because the Princess was Half-Light, they were able to have children. Aeli is their descendant, and her ancestry is clear from her hair and skin color."

Link had gone slightly red at the phrase "they were able to have children", but Zelda didn't notice and continued.

"But, before Link and Midna were married, Midna possessed a portal, from her Realm to ours. This was called the Pendant of Worlds, and it is _very_ powerful. I believe that Aeli now holds this necklace. If she does, then we're in a big dilemma."

"What? Why?" Link creased his brows.

"Because if her kidnapper knew about this Pendant, he might have sent her to a place where she won't last long."

"Where?"

"The Twilight Realm."

"But if she's Twili, then can't she live there too?" Link burst out.

"She is only part Twili. She has mostly Light in her blood now, after six hundred years. It's a clear wonder that Midna's ancestry didn't fade after just a century." Zelda shook her head. "How the blood stayed strong is unknown to me."

"Can we save her?" Link demanded.

"Well, that depends."

"Depends on what?"

"On whether or not we can reassemble the Mirror." Zelda stated it like she was teaching a small child something so obvious it was stupid.

"And... what's the Mirror?"

"The Mirror of Twilight was destroyed by Midna, true ruler of the Twili, the first time she left our world. It could very well be impossible, for all we know."

"Does it look like I even _give a damn? _" Link emphasized the last three words. Then, suddenly remembered he was talking to a princess. "Let me rephrase that: Does it look like I even give a damn, Your _Highness_?" now, he made it seem like he was making fun of her, but Zelda didn't seem to care.

"The one who has taken her, they call him Ganondorf, Thief of the Sands. The only way to defeat him is to use the Master Sword."

"Again, just a legend." Link rolled his eyes. "I don't believe in this hocus-pocus, fate or destiny, whatever you want to call it. I think it's all bullshit."

"Bullshit or legends, believe what you like," Zelda wasn't unnerved in any way. "But know this, Hero. You are marked."

She snatched his left hand, and pulled off his fingerless glove. On the back of said hand, was a faint birthmark in the shape of three triangles stacked like one big one.

"That's just a birthmark," Link yanked his hand away from her. "Nothing more."

"Nothing more?" Zelda exclaimed. "Let me show you something." She pulled off the glove of her right hand. There, on the back of her hand, was the same mark. "The Triforce is emblazoned on your flesh from birth! You have been chosen by the Goddess Farore!"

Link felt the back of his neck flush. "Chosen, my ass. I don't believe in this fate crap. Yeah, there are Goddesses, but I doubt any of them would have chosen me. I'm a thief! I lived on the streets! And now I'm hunted down by _your_ men, to be hanged or some other form of execution!"

"Hanged?" Zelda frowned. "I gave no such order..."

"Don't play sweet with me, _Princess_." Link sneered. "Filth like me needs to be cleaned up with a rag."

"I'm serious. Captain Lunir acted without my consent."

"I swore to kill Lunir someday."

"If you did, I'm afraid I cannot agree to that. Lunir may have believed he needed to dispose of thieves on the streets without me." Zelda shrugged.

" 'Thieves on the streets' ?" Link fumed. "Two seconds ago you were begging for me to "realize my destiny", and now you're calling me scum?"

"Will you _shut up_?" Zelda snapped. She was so out of composure, Link faltered. "Even if Lunir acted without my knowing, I have complete faith in him!"

"Are you going to help me or not?"

Silence.

"Yes, I am going to help you." Far south of here, there is a forest. A great, deep forest where the power to slay evil dwells. You must go there. Take up the sword. Strike down the enemy, and save Aeli."

"Really?"

"Yes, really,"

"That's all just legend. There is no Master Sword, there is no Triforce of Courage inside of my friggin' hand." Even as he said it, Link still felt like he didn't believe himself.

"If that were true, Aeli wouldn't even exist." Zelda said simply. "The blood of the Hero flows in her veins."

"Fine, fine, just help me save her." Link impatiently cut her off.

"I cannot leave the Castle for more than a few hours. The entire country would go into an uproar trying to find me." Zelda looked stumped.

"Is there anyone else who can help me?"

"Well," Zelda trailed off. "There is one..."

"Who? Where?" Link exclaimed.

"She appeared just last night, wounded and half-alive, but she could help you."

"Who?"

Zelda swallowed. "Her name is- "

"Princess!" the double doors flew open and a guard stood there.

Link and Zelda jumped up.

The guard drew his sword. "Back away from the Princess, thief!" he growled. Link reached for the sword on his back but Zelda caught his hand.

"Leave us, guard." she ordered. "This man is not our enemy."

"But Captain Lunir told me to- "

"Damn Captain Lunir," Zelda smoothly talked over him. "Tell the Captain that if he wishes to give up his rank and authority, he will continue to act without my consent."

"Um... um... Yes, yes, Princess." the guard left.

"So, what is her name?" Link asked again.

"Her name is- "

The doors banged open for the second time.

"Oh, _come on_!" Link groaned.

At the door was Lunir. He looked like he was going to explode, his face was so red.

"Princess, I must insist on taking this young man with me at once. He is a thief and a murderer."

"Wait, so now I'm a murderer?" Link rolled his eyes. "You just get more and more imaginative, don't you, Lunir?"

"He is to leave here without being taken into custody, Captain. Those are my orders, and you _will_ follow them. Understood?"

"Princess- "

"_Understood_?" she repeated.

After a moment, Lunir backed down. "Yes, Milady." he muttered.

"I will escort him from the Castle now, you may return to the barracks." Zelda stood and led Link away from the soldier. But the young former thief couldn't help making a face at Lunir as they left, and mouthing a particularly vulgar word.

Zelda led him out through the corridors and hallways, to the grounds.

"Take the West road out of Castle Town, no one will stop you."

"Thanks, for everything."

"It's my job to help the Hero. Now go," she smiled. "Save Aeli."

With a last look at the Princess, Link left through the gate.

He was halfway down some stone steps when he realized Zelda hadn't even told him what her name was.

Link turned back to ask her, but the mysterious princess was already gone.

Well, damn.

This was a problem.

* * *

guess who this mysterious girl might be?

nvm. im not telling anyway.

FIRST PERSON TO REVIEW THIS CAN HAVE HER NAMED AFTER THEM! *or, if they choose, they can pick a name to use instead of theirs. so it's practically naming her. Don't you feel like a privileged human being? I would! XD*

(hey, i can't think up a good enough name! Aeli was one of the best ones I had, and all the others i'm using in TRIAL, my novel-in-progress!)


	16. Chapter Fifteen: All Over

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Why?

Why is there pain?

Why do I suffer?

What purpose do I serve

In this world?

Link

Why haven't you saved me?

Where are you?

Khal

Beware!

He is evil!

I can hear a voice

_HIS_ voice

The one

Who brought me

To this place.

Ganondorf.

He is telling me

That my time is up.

Does that mean

I will die?

No

Don't kill me

Please

Stop

It hurts.

Fire

Blaze of agony

That is all

There is

In my world.

Am I going to die here?

Wait!

NO!

I don't want to die!

Not yet!

I need revenge!

Let me have revenge

On my parents' murderers!

More pain

Flashes

Memories

Bright light

It's so close

Is that Nirvana?

No

It can't be

For my crimes

It must be Hell.

And yet

I see them

I see my mother

My father

I feel them

Feel their love.

I find myself

Walking forward.

Towards the ones

I love most.

Eternal rest

Awaits me

And I

Cannot resist it.

But for one thing:

Link.

I turn away.

I'm not ready

To die.

There's so many things

I need to do

Before my life ends.

Ganondorf's voice;

"Why won't you die, bitch?"

I try to retort

But my tongue is swollen from no water

And I can't.

There is another flash

My last thought

Is Link.

And then,

It's all over.

* * *

to clear things up, this takes place a bit before link and zelda meet.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Lucilla

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"Khal!" Link shielded his eyes from the rain as he yelled. "Khal!"

There was no reply, save for the patter of droplets. Link's companion had vanished completely.

Ugh, Link had _told _Khal he'd be looking for food. Why didn't that jerk wait?

Link stumbled his way through the torrent of water, groping his way along stone cliffsides, but still, Khal was nowhere to be found.

"Looking for something?" a voice from behind sent shivers up his spine, and Link whirled around, sword in hand.

A tall silhouette stood out in the rainy evening light. It was incredible in height, seven feet at least, with broad shoulders and a barrel chest. This man had to be wearing armor of some sort; no human being was that monstrous.

"What business is it of yours?" Link snapped.

"Silly boy," the man shook his head, a rumble of laughter barely audible over the storm. "First you lost Aeli, and now you've lost Khal. You should really keep an eye on your things. Next, you'll be losing an arm, or a leg, or maybe even your head."

Link's heart skipped a beat. Had this stranger just mentioned Aeli and Khal?

"Who are you?" he croaked.

The laughter faded. "I am the one you are destined to face, and the one by who's hand you are destined to die."

"Not likely," Link crouched defensively. "What have you done with Aeli and Khal?"

"The brats?" the stranger glanced at his fingernails. "They were of no use- "

"Where are they?" Link shouted, cutting over the man.

"Aeli is dead." he said bluntly. "Khal is being killed as we speak."

"Wh-what?" Link felt his stomach flop and his palms begin to sweat, even in the icy rain. "Dead?"

"The Twili girl resisted valiantly, but alas," the giant shrugged in mock-sorrow. "she was not strong enough to evade death."

"Who the hell are you?" Link demanded, fury blurring the edges of his mind.

"I am Ganondorf," he spread his hands wide. "The greatest villain Hyrule has ever known."

Link could no longer bear it. He launched himself at Ganondorf, a roar bubbling up to his throat from the very core of his being.

The giant man, was surprisingly agile, and easily stepped aside and let Link catch nothing but air. Though his sword skills were limited, Link felt like the sword was his own hand, as easy to control as his habit of flicking his hair. The Ordon sword snapped to the side Ganondorf had dodged to, and the huge man's yellow eyes widened slightly in surprise as the blade accurately aimed for his head. He threw up his arm to defend himself, and felt the sting of cold metal slice through his skin.

"Hmm. Impressive," Ganondorf mused, eyeing the injury. The sword had cut through the gauntlet on his forearm and barely slit his flesh. He licked the slash slowly, then drew his own sword, a blade huge enough to match his size, and glowing white, but surrounded by shadow and an aura of evil. "But amateurish. You really are no match for me."

There was a sudden loud sound, and a man appeared as if from nowhere. Small black squares surrounded him for a moment, and then they were gone.

The man was a little taller than Link, and had red hair like Aeli's, and black and white skin. He must be a Twili.

"Dear me," he looked upset. "Have I interrupted something?"

"No, no, Ruik." Ganondorf shrugged. "I was just about to destroy this whelp."

"Ah," he nodded. Then, "May I?"

Ganondorf looked amused, and sheathed his sword. "Absolutely."

Ruik raised his hands and pointed his fingertips at Link, who felt it almost immediately. A sudden, burning pain in his gut, like fire ripping through his body.

The night was lightening, but only barely. Little black squares were floating from the ground to the sky, and it seemed to be early evening, maybe twilight.

Link dropped to his knees, feeling like he was going to retch. He grunted as his body burned from the inside out, his heart pounding in his ears.

"Well done, Ruik." Ganondorf clapped. "Not only have you mastered immortality, but also are very accomplished at spreading your kingdom to this world."

"I try my best, Lord." the Twili man bowed.

Link gritted his teeth and did his best not to scream. His hands clutched at the soaked grass, his eyes were watering from the agony. Then, he could bear it no longer, threw back his head, and yelled. His shout turned to a howl halfway through, and a shiver ran up his spine from his toes. Exhausted, Link toppled to the ground, his sight going black.

"H-how?" Ruik's blood-colored eyes widened in astonishment. "How did this happen? He should either be dead, or a spirit, so why _this_?"

"It means he is the Chosen One." Ganondorf didn't look fazed at all. "That's all."

"Where should I send him?" Ruik glanced at his Lord, who sniffed.

"Send him far away from here, but not to your Realm." he turned his back and, surrounded by the little black squares of Twilight, he was gone.

Ruik snapped his fingers. Similar quadrilaterals encased Link's unconscious form, and sent him away. Far away.

And, hidden in the bushes, a small figure watched. Then, transporting in the same Twili way, she vanished.

_I have found him. Finally._

_Where am I?_ was the first thought to creep faintly through Link's foggy mind. _My head. It hurts._ He opened his eyes and was looking at a stone floor vertically. His left cheek was numb with cold and the edges of his sight were blurred. His right hand was chained to a metal square nailed into the stone, and the rest of his limbs were unfeeling.

Link knew, somehow, that he was in a cell, without looking at the bars not four feet ahead of him.

He tried to stand, but was on all fours. Looking down at his hands gave him the biggest shock he had gotten in his life.

Instead of hands, shaggy, gray-furred paws were what he saw.

There was no doubt about it.

He was a wolf.

With a yelp of surprise, Link shook his head violently from side to side, as if he could wake up from this nightmare.

"It's not like something as dumb as shaking your head will wake you up from reality. You really annoy me." a female voice reached his ears; the ears that were still pointed, but on the top of his head.

Link whirled to the bars and faced the speaker. Through them was a girl, a small girl, only about three feet tall, with bright red irises, and yellow where the eyes should have been white. She was black and white-skinned, her limbs small and thin, like toothpicks. Her hair was the color of red and orange fire, pulled up into a ponytail, with bangs that nearly hid her eyes.

She looked like a miniature, slightly different version of Aeli; she must be a Twili.

Link tried to ask what her name was, but he only made a noise that sounded like a little growl.

"If you're wondering my name," she held a hand in front of her face to examine her fingernails. "it's Lucilla; Lucilla as in L-U-C-I-L-L-A. Of course, I already know a lot about you, Link. I know you were a thief, and that your friend, A... something, was murdered, and you want revenge."

Lucilla floated casually up to the bars, split her body into hundreds of bubbles, slipped through the metal, and reformed. "But did you know," she whispered. "that I can help you get that?"

Link curled his lip and growled. He didn't like her. She made his hair -fur- stand on end.

Lucilla stuck out her lower lip in mock-disappointment. "Aww, you don't like me? That's too bad. I was gonna get you out of here."

Link's ears perked up, and he quieted.

"That's better!" Lucilla smiled and winked at him. The eyetooth on the left side of her mouth was unnaturally long and reached her lower lip. "Now you're acting like a gentleman! Oops, tee hee, I forgot!" she flicked under his chin. "You aren't a man anymore, you're a beast!"

Link narrowed his eyes, and was about to snap at her, but remembered she planned on helping him, and held back.

"You ready to go?" Lucilla's blood red eyes found his chained leg. "Oh, that's right." She cupped her hands and whispered a few words at her fingers, laced with blue light that traced up her arms. A small ball of red and black energy flew from her hands and connected with his chains, severing them. "_Now_ are you ready?"

He nodded once.

Lucilla jumped up into the air, and landed on his back. He growled and bucked violently, but she yanked hard on his ears to make him stop.

"Quit it, Fluffy! You want me to help, or you wanna rot in that cell?"

Link reluctantly calmed down. He desperately wanted to curse at her, but a fine lot of good it would do him.

"The door's unlocked, push it open and turn left, then right, then right, then go straight ahead." Lucilla instructed.

Link dutifully followed her orders; as they were heading down the long stretch of damp, dripping hallway, Lucilla reminded him,

"Remember: I saved you, so in return you have to be like my servant. As a servant, you have to do exactly as I say."

Link grumbled under his breath.

They came to an open area; a circular room Link immediately recognized as the one Zelda and himself had come along before.

"What?" Lucilla sensed his reaction. "You know this room? Okay then, Wolfy; you lead the way. See if you can make it alive." She got off his back and flew on ahead, up through the circle room to the top. "Catch me if you can!" she called down to him.

Link pushed his body, his wider, wolf body, as against the sides of the wall as he could, but after a minute or two, he slipped and fell into a shallow pool in the bottom of the room.

"Ugh!" Lucilla groaned. "You're so useless, Spike!" she snapped her fingers, and Link found himself at the top of the room. "Just get outside and maybe I'll forgive you."

Link, after much falling, swears from Lucilla, and groans from both of them, they were finally out in the open air.

"Never mind. I'm not forgiving you." she decided, taking her seat on his back. "You just happen to be extraordinarily slow. Thank the Goddesses I can warp in the open air, or you'd probably kill us both."

Link growled, but Lucilla ignored him.

"Ready to go? Never mind, it's not like you'll answer me. Just try not to puke, and we'll all be fine."

Link opened his mouth to bark, but suddenly felt himself being yanked apart into tiny molecules and shrinking to a speck.

Lucilla and Link transported away.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: The Pendant

**HERE IT IS! the first update for "Heroes and Twili" since June! sorry it took me so long, i got my laptop back! :D**

**Enjoy, and review plox!**

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Despite Lucilla's warnings not to throw up, Link definitely felt his stomach beginning to churn. He squeezed his eyes shut, mentally screaming at himself to keep down what little he had had to eat.

He heard Lucilla's trilling laughter, and suddenly thought she sounded different from earlier; but when they landed in a twilight-coated forest, she sounded just like she had before. Like everything was either terribly funny or terribly annoying.

"Like what you see?" Lucilla was still on his back, stretching her arms and yawning. "The black clouds of twilight are so gorgeous today, don't you think?"

Link huffed. He had no idea where they were, or why he was still a wolf. He was really missed his hands right now...

"Listen, I know you probably want to be a human again, so I'll tell you a little secret." Lucilla leaned forward and whispered in his ear, sending shivers up his spine. "If you go to the Spirit Spring, it might be able to turn you back."

She sat back. "Just follow the song you hear, and you'll find it."

He perked his ears, hearing a haunting voice filling the air and making his heart wrench. Lucilla seemed totally unaffected by the melody.

"Its Light got stolen by Dark Creatures. You gotta go help it."

Of course, it wasn't as easy as just going to say hi. He needed to give something in return for his humanity returned.

"Hurry up, Pup!" she smacked his shoulders. "We haven't got an eternity if you wanna save your friend."

Link growled softly and padded off in the direction of the strange lamentation, and as he walked he got a good look at his surroundings.

It was definitely not a place he recognized. The trees were tall and thin, their bark black and shriveled. The leaves were falling in a storm of black flurries.

Were those really leaves? No, they were squares; black squares.

That was... weird.

But, like Lucilla said, there wasn't time enough to look at scenery. That Spirit wasn't far off, and Link didn't like being a wolf much. He was much more at ease as a human.

As Link grew closer and closer to the song of the Spirit, the more he just wanted to burst into tears. Or howl. Or both.

"Aww, does the little wolfy not like the song? Poor poor Wolfy!" Lucilla teased. "Personally, I think it's lovely." Link ignored her. It wasn't like he could reply.

Approaching the Spring, he and Lucilla noticed a swirling golden cloud not far from the shore. The sad lamentation was coming from the cloud.

"I... am a Spirit... of Light..." it whispered. "Brave youth... find my Tears of Light... It has been stolen... by creatures of Darkness... Collect it... in this."

From the depths of the golden cloud, a vessel took shape and floated to the air just in front of Link's nose.

"I'll take that," Lucilla snapped her fingers and the vessel was gone in a flash. "You might lose it, Butterfingers."

Link growled softly but turned his attention back to the Spirit as it continued.

"The creatures... can only be seen... by those... using blindness rather... than sight."

Link nodded once.

"Luck... to you..." the cloud fell silent for a second, and then took up its wailing song once more.

"Listen!" Lucilla hissed, holding out a hand. "You hear that?"

Link perked up his ears and listened as well as he could; a slight rustling could be heard in the dead leaves about a yard or so in front of them.

"Close your eyes and open your mind," Lucilla never moved her rosy irises from the direction of the soft noise.

Link could only obey. When he closed his eyes, a glow in the back of his mind grew brighter and brighter, and when he opened his eyes again, it was as though his eyes were a tunnel, and all colors visible were vibrant and full of life.

A purple flash caught his attention, and Link pounced. A huge, squirming bug was caught beneath his paw, so with a quick movement, Link twisted its head off with his other foot. It wriggled for a moment, then died; it seemed to turn to dust and was replaced with a round, bright blue light that strongly resembled a tear.

"Ooh, so pretty!" Lucilla cooed. "Find more of those, and you'll be just fine!"

She reached out her hands for the Tear, but the moment she touched it, a powerful shock ran through her little body and she was thrown off of him. Lucilla landed on the ground about four feet to the right, and when she hit the dirt, spasms ran through her.

Link wasn't sure why he was worried about her, but he prodded her forehead, nudging her bangs aside with his nose.

But Lucilla got up, shuddering, and sat unsteadily down on Link's back. "Don't worry, Link. I'm from the Twilight; I can't associate with the Light. I can't even touch it. I made a mistake, a stupid mistake." She shook her head. "Just... find the rest, 'kay?"

It was the first time she'd really said his name.

Link easily tracked down and destroyed the rest of the bugs. As the last one was torn in two, black blood spilling from its mangled body, dissipating into a Tear to be collected, Link felt a strange sensation spread over him as the Vessel was filled. It was like... he was growing up twelve years in a second.

He was ankle-deep back in the Spring now, Lucilla wasn't bothering him anymore. The sky was dark and spotted with sparkling stars.

The Vessel sank deep into the golden water, and something else emerged, something huge. A golden creature, in the shape of a monkey; its tail arching over its head and back down, gripping a shining globe in both paws, looked down on him.

"Link, Chosen One of the Gods... You resemble strongly the Hero of old." his voice was deep and melodious, like a song. "Listen well, for there is much to say; we would have given you more time, but unfortunately, there is none. Thankfully, the Twilight had only consumed this area of Hyrule, but in touching the purest of Light, your companion has sentenced herself to death."

A faint wheeze from the ground made Link look down.

Lucilla, discolored and motionless, lay on her back in the shallow water. Where her flesh should have been black and white, it was faint pink and dark blue. Her bright red hair had faded to a soft grey. She was barely breathing.

"Lucilla!" he knelt (?) in the water by her and took her small body in his arms. "Can you hear me?"

Her eyes made him inhale sharply when she opened them; instead of red, they were bright green. "Say... you're pretty cute... for a mangy mutt..." she grinned weakly.

Link then noticed his reflection in the water. He was indeed human once more, but his clothes had changed; he was wearing a tunic made of soft green material, with a white shirt underneath. His pants were white too, and he was wearing brown boots up to his knees. A gauntlet was on his left arm, but not his right, and on top of his dirty-blond hair was a hat.

A sword and shield were on his back; the Ordon Sword from Khal, as well as a Hylian Shield that had decidedly seen better days.

"Can I save her?" Link looked back up to the Spirit, hugging Lucilla's cold form to his chest.

"The Princess may be able to," he rumbled. "But by the time you get there the Twili will already be dead. There really is nothing you can do. The Light was too strong for her, and even as we speak it is invading her blood, poisoning her."

"Is there a faster way to the Princess?" Link demanded. He could feel Lucilla's skin going cold.

"I am afraid not-" his voice rang.

"But there is a faster way to you from her!" A voice rang out from behind them, and Zelda approached them. "I've been looking for you for two days."

"Two days?" Link was confused. "It didn't feel that long."

"Twilight time is warped from the time of the Light." Zelda waved a hand and stepped towards Lucilla, brushing the Twili's bangs from her eyes and flinching. "She's cold as ice already."

Zelda tapped her chin. "Let me see her." she said finally, reaching out for Lucilla, and Link reluctantly handed her over.

"Spirit, where is Aeli? Is she really dead?" Link looked into the bright eyes of Spirit Guardian of the Faron Woods.

"Your cousin is not dead. She is still the Dark King's hostage."

"Cousin?" Link wrinkled his eyebrows.

"Did you not know? You and she share the same blood. Her ancestor was the Hero, and only those with the blood of the Hero can become the Hero."

Zelda looked up. "Cousins? But I thought..." she shook her head. "Never mind."

"And Khal? Is he still alive?" Link asked.

"Khal?" the Spirit frowned. "That... that... _scum._.. is not your ally. Keep away from him if you value your life."

With every answer, Link became more and more confused.

"But Khal-"

"Lied to you, cheated, scammed, and kidnapped. He will do anything to see you dead, and nothing less with satisfy his craving for blood. His friend, Nalana, is the reincarnation of the Sage Nabooru, but she strayed from her destined path and became corrupt. She must be eliminated or she and Khal will destroy both realms!"

There was so much conviction in the Spirit's rumbling voice, Link flinched.

"Link, I can't help her here!" Zelda sounded panicked. "She's dying!"

"Can we get her anywhere fast?" Link held Lucilla's little hand in his fingers.

The Spirit roared suddenly, his monkey-like form pulsing with power. Link, Zelda, and Lucilla disappeared in a flash of pure white light.

When, blinking in the sudden darkness, they reappeared, they were in the midst of Hyrule Castle Town, which was, even late in the evening, bustling with activity.

Zelda spoke quickly as she took long strides through the mob of people. "This place was infected with the Twilight the day we met, but I managed to cleave it away with my Triforce of Wisdom. Oh, dear Goddesses, Lucilla's still in her solid form; Twili beings turn into shadows in the Light, but she's too weak. This is making everything so much worse!"

"Halt!" soldiers stopped them at the edge of the castle grounds. "This is the castle of Princess Zelda! State your business!"

"The Princess is not in her castle at the moment." Zelda growled.

"Oh? And how would an urchin like you know that?" the man snapped.

"Because idiotic dimwits are keeping her from entering," she lifted her head ever so slightly, so the soldier saw her face.

"F-forgive me, Princess!" he stuttered, stepping aside to grant them passage.

"I'll be speaking to your Commander, _sir_," she hissed, marching past him and into the main courtyard of the Castle.

"NO!" a loud protest came from the discolored bundle in Link's arms, and both he and the Princess froze.

Lucilla's eyes were wide with panic and horrification.

"Don't take me there!" struggling feebly in Link's strong arms, she began to scream, "TAKE ME HOME! TAKE ME HOME! DEAR GODDESSES, _TAKE ME HOME_!"

A bright white light filled their eyes, coming from deep inside Lucilla's body, and a small trinket passed out of her shivering form. It was extremely beautiful; shaped like the crescent moon and crisscrossed with intricate designs.

Zelda let out a gasp, the soldier swore vulgarly, and then, all of a sudden, they vanished.

All four of them.

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Love it? Hate it? Review box is down ZERE.


	19. Chapter Eighteen: The Court of King Ruik

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

TEN DAYS AGO: TWILIGHT TIME

Lucilla, in a long, elegant black gown intricately embroidered with soft turquoise and blood-red thread, floated her way down the corridor of the palace. She was in a rush, as usual, and the Princess, Her Lady Perolanda, daughter of King Ruik, would seriously _murder_ Lucilla's ass for being late to the meeting.

Apparently, a strange girl wearing weird clothes had suddenly appeared in the middle of the courtyard. The girl strongly resembled a Twili, but stank of Light-Dweller flesh. The one who found the strange half-breed, the slave girl Omala, had dropped the tea tray she had been holding in shock and had turned the girl over onto her back to see if she was alive.

The girl had been hurt very badly. Her hands and feet were broken, her clothes ripped and soaked with mud and blood. Her vibrant orangey hair was matted with gore that seemed to ooze from a gash on her head, and she was breathing in small, rasping rattles.

Turning more corners, Lucilla burst into the Great Hall, causing the soft murmur of voices in the round circle of chairs to cease suddenly.

"Ah, Lucilla, darling," Perolanda sang, hurrying towards her in a swish of silk material. "I'm afraid you're late again!" The princess's eyes screamed of murder, but she said nothing in front of the others. Oh, was Lucilla going to get it later...

"We're discussing the possibility of the strange girl being part Twili," Elder Amitu, a shriveled woman whose ruby red eyes missed little, spoke up.

Lucilla took her seat, brushing back her long, fiery hair and bangs. "How is that even remotely possible?" she inquired politely.

"Well, according to our history, six hundred years ago, at the time of the last Hero, our Queen, Midna, left this Realm to marry the Hero. This girl could be their descendant."

Lucilla had never been one for history; it bored her out of her mind. And that stupid quote that Koruri Sensei was always saying, "Those who do not remember the past will forget the future." What was up with _that?_ Total crap, if you ask Lucilla.

"The girl's wounds are being tended by our best healers as we speak. By noon tomorrow, she will be able to speak. We will learn the truth then." Elder Dunita, an equally prune-like man stood and indicated the meeting was at a close.

A man and a woman scurried into the hall, dressed in the grey robes of healers.

"Report," Perolanda demanded, her voice bored.

"She is healing quickly, Lady, as we had hoped. But Omala refuses to be near the girl when she awakes, thinking she is a demon of some kind..." the man trailed off.

"Lucilla," Perolanda called. "You attend the girl."

_"What?"_ Lucilla groaned. "Why me?"

"Consider it punishment for always being late." Perolanda smiled sweetly and left the Hall with her ladies-in-waiting. "Stay with her until she wakes up, now!"

Muttering a string of obscenities under her breath, Lucilla stomped through the hallways into the Healing Ward, rewarding her with weird looks from the fellow servants in the corridors.

"Lucilla?" her good friend Kerolo, who was training as a healer, lifted his head from his desk as she entered the ward. He'd been sleeping again. "What are you doing here?"

"Not happy to see me?" she pretended to pout.

"No, it's not that," Kerolo said quickly. "I just thought you were a maid, not a healer."

"I _am_ still a maid." Lucilla put deliberate emphasis on "am". "Perolanda sent me here to watch over the girl Omala found."

Kerolo grimaced. "Tough luck. That girl's been asleep since yesterday; she's barely even moved."

"Which room?" Lucilla sighed heavily.

"Room 127. Down the hall, fifth door on the left." Kerolo pointed the way.

Lucilla tried to calm herself down as she was walking. It was only an unconscious, alien girl who had appeared as if from nowhere in the middle of King Ruik's courtyard. It could have been worse, like doing Perolanda's hair every day for the next month. Perolanda had long, gorgeous, silky hair. The kind of hair any other woman in the Twilight Realm would _kill_ for. It would have been torture handling the princess's hair. Lucilla got urges to cut it off simply by looking at it.

Perolanda was extremely beautiful. She was tall, willowy, and her slim black clothes just complimented her thin face and tall figure even more. She was the kind of girl that made men want to duel for her, and dance and sing and die for her.

All Lucilla wanted was for Perolanda to go away. Go away and never come back.

"Hello?" Lucilla rapped her knuckles twice on the open door to room 127, but no one was in the room.

Except the girl.

Her hair went to about her shoulders, maybe a bit longer, and was spread out on top of the white pillowcase like her head was underwater. A gash, recently stitched up, shone pale blue against her azure skin, nearly covered by bangs that were swept off to the side. Her old clothes had been burned, and now she was garbed in a slim black nightgown that only accented the hollow look to her eyes and cheekbones. She was thin, but unnaturally, as if she hadn't eaten for a long time. The bones of her collar and wrists stuck out as if they were going to break through her flesh.

She looked so... delicate, so helpless, that Lucilla did not regret being late at all.

"The girl was wearing this," a nurse entered the room, holding a silver chain.

A crescent moon medallion flashed in her hand, familiar Twili designs shone in the half-light of Twilight.

"It looks like one of Perolanda's necklaces." Lucilla squinted to see it better, but the nurse carefully set the pendant on a bedside table to the girl's right, beside a glass of cool, clear water.

"I know. Omala insists the girl was wearing it when she appeared, but that slave might just have taken it from Perolanda, found the girl, and put it on her instead." the nurse replaced the glass of water with a fresh one and turned to leave. "We'll know for sure when she wakes."

Lucilla sat down in a chair on the left side of the bed and picked up the girl's bandaged hand. The bones in her hand had been set, but the flesh Lucilla could see was swollen and an angry indigo-red color.

"Already settled in?" a voice breezed through the silent room.

"Only because you told me to, My Lady," Lucilla avoided eye contact with Perolanda, who floated elegantly towards them.

"I was told this girl had a necklace that belonged to me, so I've come to collect it. Surely that wouldn't be too much trouble?" Perolanda's ruby red eyes scanned the room, coming to rest on the pendant beside the water glass.

"The nurse told me it could belong to the girl," Lucilla said quietly.

"Nonsense!" Perolanda laughed gaily, her slim fingers snatching up the necklace. "Only royalty could own a trinket this gorgeous!"

"You mean you've never seen it before?" Lucilla looked up at the princess in shock.

"Of course not! But no one else has to know that, do they?" Perolanda winked and, putting a finger to her lips, made a shushing noise as if Lucilla was a baby, not a sixteen year old girl who was more mature than most her age.

She danced out of the room, the necklace shining in her grasp.

For two days, Lucilla lived in that room. Eating, sleeping, and watching the girl in her restless sleep. Kerolo came to say hello once or twice, but soon he stopped visiting. All either of them did besides exchange greetings was stare at the girl.

On the second night, she finally opened her eyes.

Lucilla was drowsing over a storybook, lounged over her straight-backed chair as comfortably as she could. The story was one her parents had read to her when she was a child, about Heroes of the past. Her favorite story was near the beginning of the book, about a Hero who had thought he was a Kokiri, one of the forest children who never age, before the Great Deku Tree, poisoned and dying, told him of his true heritage and sent him on a quest to save the ancient, glorious city of Hyrule, and the Princess, Zelda, who gave him a magical ocarina. Her favorite character was Saria, the forest sage, a Kokiri girl the Hero had loved as a child. Saria was doomed to duty; forever praying for the Heroes of the future, never to have a normal life.

Lucilla knew she was trapped, just like Saria, in a world she didn't love, but was needed right where she was. The only difference between them was, Lucilla wasn't exactly saving the world or praying for Heroes.

An earsplitting scream ripped through Lucilla's eardrums, causing her to jump a foot out of her chair, yelling, the book flying high over her head.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Lucilla cried, her chest heaving and her heart pounding. "Why are you screaming as soon as you wake up? You scared the freaking twilight out of me! Goddesses, what's your problem?"

The girl had forced herself into a sitting position, back pressed against the headboard of the bed, eyes wide and scared.

"What are you? Where am I?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm a Twili," Lucilla said slowly, putting a _duh_ note in her tone. "and in all respects, you are, too."

The girl looked at her hands. "My hands hurt." she said softly.

"Yeah, they should. They were broken pretty badly, and so were your feet." Lucilla was calming down.

"Where's Link?" she looked around the room. "Is he okay?"

"Who?" Lucilla was sure she heard incorrectly. Link was a hero's name.

"My friend. He was hurt, and I left the village to go hunting, and then I was attacked and brought somewhere... I don't remember where..." she trailed off.

"Well, you're safe here. You're in the Twilight Realm, in the Palace of King Ruik." Lucilla tried to soothe her. What else was she supposed to do?

The girl put a hand to her throat and her eyes (they were blue... how strange...) went wide with terror.

"Where's my necklace?" panic edged her voice.

"The necklace they found on you? Princess Perolanda took it. She thought only someone with royal blood could own something like that." Lucilla stuttered.

"Royal blood?" the girl snapped. "My mother owned it! Where's my goddamn necklace?" she started to get up, but as she did, three nurses and a healer flooded the small room.

"We heard a shout, Lucilla," the healer started, but halfway through Lucilla he noticed the girl trying vainly to stand on bandaged feet.

"Dear Goddesses, girl! Don't try to stand!" he yelled. The nurses swarmed the girl and forced her back onto the bed. "You've been asleep for days!"

"I want my necklace back!" she struggled in their grip, but to no avail. "Tell Princess Pero- whatever that I want my necklace back, the stinking thief!"

Gasps. No one had ever dared to call Perolanda anything other than "Princess", "My Lady", "Your Highness", the usual formalities.

The nurse who had set down the necklace checked the table. "I will speak to Her Highness about this. Excuse me." bowing, she left the room.

"Lie still, miss." the healer said slowly. "You are in no danger here."

"I want to go home." she whispered, her hollowed blue eyes shining bright with tears.

"Where is your home?" the healer ushered Lucilla out of her chair and sat down himself.

"I... don't know..." she said, then looked angrily at the crowd of people surrounding her bed. "Not that it's any of your business!"

"What's your name, miss?" the healer asked.

"Why do you care?"

Lucilla excused herself and left the girl to the healer. Instead, she walked past Kerolo, who was asleep again, and stalked down the corridor, turning left, then left, then right, straight to Perolanda's chambers.

Her hand paused inches away from knocking. Instead, she put her ear to the door and listened.

"...I said no!" Perolanda petulantly shouted. "It's _my_ necklace! Omala stole it and gave it to the girl!"

"If the girl was unconscious, why would she ask for it back as soon as she woke?" the nurse insisted.

"Because she wasn't unconscious when Omala gave it to her!" Perolanda snapped.

"According to our best healers," the nurse was fighting her patience, Lucilla could easily tell. "she had been asleep four hours before Omala even found her."

A moment of silence. Then, the smashing of glass.

"If you tell anyone that this necklace doesn't belong to me, then I'll have you executed. Understood? Good. Now get out!" More breaking glass.

Lucilla scurried away from the door.

All that fuss over a necklace? Goddesses, was Perolanda spoiled.

The nurse exited the princess's rooms seconds later, trying to staunch the flow of blood from a gash on her cheek.

"Oh, Lucilla," she smiled in relief. "Please tell the healer that the princess insists of her ownership on the trinket."

Lucilla feigned innocence. "Gods, what happened?" she peered at the bloody wound in mock astonishment.

"Um... I fell... and broke some glass... But it's alright, it's only a cut." she could barely contain herself from running away as she left.

Lucilla rolled her eyes. These petty, frightened servants were scared by a princess with virtually no power but her fists and the father that practically ignored her existence. Unlike those fools, Lucilla was not easily swayed by empty threats made by pouty princesses. _This_ servant had an unusual knack for telling whether someone was lying to her.

She knocked on Perolanda's door, and stood back, waiting.

"What?" said princess looked _very_ angry, as if she could kill.

"I was wondering if we could talk." Lucilla said evenly.

Silence.

"Whatever. Come in, Lucilla." she stood aside for the servant to enter her rooms.

"I'd like to discuss the topic of the necklace you stole from the patient." Lucilla folded her hands behind her back.

Perolanda smiled winningly. "Oh, don't be silly!" she said, a giggle rising in her throat. "The necklace clearly belongs to me!"

"You and I both know that's a lie," Lucilla was careful not to show facial reaction.

Perolanda's smile faded slowly.

"What do you want, Lucilla?"

"You know exactly what I want."

The princess pursed her lips, fingers stroking the necklace around her throat.

"What if I say no?" she stared Lucilla down menacingly, but the servant girl made no move whatsoever to back.

"Then I'm sure the nurse you sent out of here bleeding would make excellent testimony against you for theft."

More silence.

Without warning, Perolanda slapped Lucilla, hard, across the face, sending her stumbling off to the side, clutching her face.

"How _DARE_ you! Idiotic servant!" the princess raged. "You would even consider something like that? Foolish, stupid, ignorant!"

Lucilla was still in shock from the blow, her cheek smarting painfully.

"You think you have power?" Perolanda continued. "You have _nothing_! Your own parents left you here for dead! Remember that, Lucilla? Remember the night your mother and father left you outside our court? It was only because of my father that you're even alive! If I were you, I wouldn't threaten the daughter of the man who saved me! Now get out! GET OUT!"

Lucilla was shoved out of Perolanda's room, holding back tears.

It didn't matter that Perolanda had hit her. What mattered was what the princess had said.

What hurt most was that it was true. Nine years ago, when she was seven, her parents had left her on the steps of the palace. She had been infected with a rare illness that only royalty had the cure for. Whoever caught it died in two days from an affliction with the heart. Lucilla had been suffering from daily seizures and convulsions, and her mother and father hadn't been able to care for her.

At least, that's what she liked to think.

Lucilla found herself going to her meager servant's room instead of back to the Healing wing. What she really wanted was sleep. To sleep, and not to dream.

The next day was a buzz of activity. The King Himself was going to the Healing wing to speak to the girl, and the healers were scurrying frantically, making last minute adjustments to assure the King was satisfied.

Lucilla was assigned to attend the King, to bring him water or wine if he wished, but serving the King always made her feel as if she was sullied just by sitting near him, as if she was a white blanket and he was a dirt storm.

King Ruik was a tall, regal man. His orange hair was short-cropped and a circlet decorated his brow. He dressed all in black robes that complimented his black and white skin, and his steel-toed boots clicked on the ebony-colored floors of the palace.

He was never really around much. Some say he moved between Realms, others say he traveled far to the corners of the world and back. All a load of bullshit, in Lucilla's opinion.

"Lucilla, dear. How are you this day?" he greeted her warmly as she opened the palace doors for him. She stifled a shiver.

"Well enough, Your Highness." she bowed.

"Oh, Goddesses. What happened?"

Shit. He'd spotted the horrible, purple and red bruise Perolanda had given her from the slap.

"I fell down the stairs, Your Highness. It was very clumsy of me." She kept her head down.

"Well, it's best to be more careful, Lucilla. You might need to see a healer for ice later. When did you fall?"

"Last night, Your Highness." she said in a balanced voice, beginning to lead him through the hallways towards the Healing wing.

"It looks very painful," he stopped walking to gently touch her face, where she was hurt.

Lucilla used all her willpower to restrain herself from knocking his hand away and said simply, "It doesn't hurt anymore, Your Highness."

His fingertips felt like ice cubes against her flesh, but, thankfully, he drew them away and walked ahead of her to the Healing wing.

She shuddered and followed him.

The nurses and healers were dismissed so the King could speak to the girl alone. Lucilla was so close to walking away, but an impulse to know what they were discussing filled her from toes to the tips of her pointed ears, so she pressed her ear to the door, as she had at Perolanda's chambers.

Call her nosy if you will. It's true.

"...I need to know why you're still alive, Aeli." the King's warm voice had been replaced by a cold, wicked tone.

"I guess your boss just didn't have the guts to finish little old me." the girl (Aeli?) snapped back.

"How did you get to my Realm?"

"Your guess is just as good as mine. I obviously didn't walk." her retort was like a bee sting. Lucilla smiled to herself; this girl had no fear.

A slap resonated through the room.

"Shut your filthy mouth!" the King snarled. "Tell me why you're still alive, Aeli!"

A spitting noise snuck its way into Lucilla's eardrum. Was the girl spitting at the King, or spitting out blood?

"I'm alive because I've got a helluva will to live, that's why. And because Link needs me."

"Did you say _Link?" _the King's voice got soft and deadly.

No reply.

"I'll kill that boy, and when he's finally been exposed to the Twilight and the life is sucked from his body, I'll be back for you."

A sudden sound of a chair scraping along the floor, and Lucilla darted away, not believing what her own ears had heard. The King was after a boy named Link?

Link was a Hero's name.

Then was Ruik...?

No.

Impossible.

If King Ruik was the bad guy, what did that make herself?

* * *

don't worry, i'm continuing this next chapter. in the meantime, consider the possibilities... mwa ha ha.

I am so evil.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Cursed

CHAPTER NINETEEN

SEVEN DAYS AGO: TWILIGHT TIME

_Lucilla was running as fast as she could down a long, dark hallway in the servant girl's elegant gown that nearly covered her slippers. Her hair was out of its usual style and streaming behind her; her bangs kept getting in front of her eyes. Hands of shadow grasped at her hair and clothes, scratched at her eyes, tripped her feet up._

_ She landed hard on her stomach, an _oof_ of surprise escaping her throat. Her elbows hit the stone floor hard, and she felt tears of pain welling in her eyes._

_ "Shit!" she cursed, scrambling to her feet and taking off running again._

_ "Lucilla..." a voice whispered in her ears. "Do not run, my little Lucilla..."_

_ Paying it no heed, Lucilla turned a corner and stopped suddenly._

_ The hallway had ended. She was trapped._

_ Chest heaving for air, she turned and faced her pursuer._

_ King Ruik stood there in the middle of the hall, beside him an eight-foot tall, colossal man with red hair that rivaled her own, and a young woman with soft orange locks and skin the color of milk chocolate._

_ "You can't run anymore, Lucilla." the woman said quietly, though Lucilla heard her clear as day._

_ "It is futile to resist." King Ruik added. "You belong with us."_

_ "Join us, Lucilla. You will only die by her side." the giant of a man had a rumbling, rasping voice than sent shivers up and down her spine._

_ "Who?" Lucilla demanded. "Whose side?"_

_ "I think they mean me." a girl's voice said from Lucilla's right. There was the wounded girl, Aeli, dressed in midnight blue and holding a bow._

_ "Help not the boy in green. He will be your death." the woman insisted. "Avert your feet from that path. Follow us, and you will live."_

_ Lucilla and her strange company were suddenly transported to a fork in the road. In on path stood Aeli and a handsome young man Lucilla had never seen before._

_ He was dressed in green, from the strange hat on his dirty-blond hair to the long tunic he wore over chainmail and a white collared undershirt. His belt across his waist was strapped with assorted pouches and white leggings were covered below the knee by leather boots. A sword and shield were strapped to his back by another leather belt across his muscled torso. He extended his left hand, covered with a gauntlet, to Lucilla, and said simply,_

_ "This way,"_

_ "Lucilla, please," Aeli held out her hand, too._

_ "Lucilla, my dear, this is where you belong." King Ruik reached for her as well, the tall man and the orange-haired woman following his example. _

_ "Lucilla," the young man said softly. "You and I both know they aren't the ones you are supposed to go with. Your storybook made that clear."_

_ "Who are you?" Lucilla could barely take her eyes of his own. They were a bright blue, a turquoise like the sky. Aeli's eyes were exactly the same._

_ "My name is Link," he replied, with the cute ghost of a smile. "Apparently, I'm the Hero. You need to find me, Lucilla. Find me."_

_ King Ruik opened his mouth in a shriek. "NO!"_

_ Blood spurted._

Lucilla woke with a start, heart pounding. Cold sweat coated her body like she'd been swimming, and she couldn't seem to catch her breath.

The images of blood still filled her head, making her sick.

Running to the empty chamber pot just outside her door, Lucilla threw up her dinner inside it and sat back against the wall of her room, trying to swallow down bile.

Still in her nightgown, she carried the puke-filled pot outside to the courtyard and dumped it in the nearby forest just beyond the borders. She'd be flogged if someone found sick in the open courtyard.

Lucilla began her long walk back to her room, and found herself taking a different route, towards Perolanda's rooms.

Opening the door without a sound, Lucilla peered carefully into the darkened room.

The princess was in deep slumber, her bed covers making her seem like little more than a shapeless lump.

Slipping carefully into the huge, arching room, Lucilla scanned through the darkness for what she sought.

There!

Glittering in the blackness was Aeli's necklace, on Perolanda's bedside table. Lucilla inched forward and silently picked it up.

The servant made her way to the Healing wing, necklace tucked into her long sleeve. The doors were open, and Kerolo was asleep.

Lucilla opened Aeli's door without knocking.

The strange girl was awake anyway.

"Hey," Aeli pointed. "you're the one who was with me when I woke up."

"Yeah, that was me." Lucilla sat down. "I stole this from Perolanda." she held out the pendant and Aeli's eyes widened as she took it.

"Goddesses bless you!" she whispered, her hands cupped to hold the trinket. "I can never thank you enough!"

Lucilla couldn't help but notice; the left side of Aeli's face was bruised and her lip was split. Those wounds hadn't been there before.

"Lucilla?" a male voice reached her ears.

In the doorway stood the King, his eyes blazing angrily. "What are you doing here?"

"Why do you care?" Aeli piped up before Lucilla could defend herself. "She was only bringing me what's rightfully mine."

Ruik spied the necklace and a gasp left his mouth. "The Pendant of Worlds?"

"What," Aeli glanced at her hands. "This?"

"That is a sacred Twili artifact. Six hundred years ago, Princess Midna took that from its resting place and used it to return to the World of the Light so she could be with the Hero. It is rumored to work just by holding it and saying where you want to go." his eyes shone with an incredible greed. "Give it here, Aeli."

"No," Aeli stuffed the necklace down her gown front.

_Nice move,_ thought Lucilla approvingly.

"Brat!" Ruik lunged for the bedridden girl anyway, and Lucilla, without even thinking, picked up an empty chamber pot by her feet and smashed it on her King's head.

He collapsed, completely unconscious, by the foot of the bed.

"You saved me," Aeli was incredulous.

"Um... yeah... I guess I did." Lucilla dropped the handle of the pot limply.

Aeli tried to get up again, but winced and nearly fell. "Dammit! I can't walk!" she cursed. The necklace fell out of her gown to the floor, and the two of them stared at it for a long time.

"You need to go with me." Aeli looked at Lucilla. "I can't go by myself."

"What?" Lucilla's head snapped up with disbelief. "No way! Stop talking bullshit!"

"I'm freakin' serious!" Aeli sat down. "Whatever son-of-a-bitch broke my feet obviously knew what he was doing. I can't go far."

"I can't leave here," Lucilla insisted. "This is where I belong."

Her dream came rushing back to her, and she fell silent for a while. They both did.

"Hey," Lucilla began softly. "do you know a guy named Link?"

Aeli's eyebrows met in a frown. "Why?"

"I had a dream about him. He told me I was supposed to find him. You were there too, and so was King Ruik." Lucilla felt like an idiot just saying it, but she knew Aeli wasn't going to laugh.

"Yeah, I know him. We traveled together for a while. I met him in prison." she grinned to herself, as if reminiscing.

"What did you do?"

"Hm?"

"What did you do to, you know, get put in prison?" Lucilla asked again.

"I killed twelve guards. Link was a thief."

"Oh,"

Silence.

"This is kind of awkward..." Aeli muttered.

"Hell, yeah." Lucilla laughed.

"Whoa! We just got completely sidetracked!" Aeli slapped her forehead. "Please, you need to come with me. I can take you to Link. Not to be pushy or anything, but I sorta doubt that this guy's going to be in a good mood when he wakes up." she nodded to Ruik.

"I just... I can't go with you." Lucilla couldn't say why. "This is where I'm supposed to be. I don't know why I said Link, I'm just... tired. I'm _supposed_ to stay here."

"Is it?" Aeli asked simply.

Lucilla didn't know how to reply.

"Lucilla?" Perolanda's screech nearly made Lucilla's eardrums pop. "What in Din's name have you done?" she fell to her knees by her father and shook him. "I saw you steal my necklace, but I never imagined you commiting treason!"

"He's out cold, you stupid brat," Aeli said bluntly, pointing to Ruik.

"Mind your tongue! We saved your life!" snapped Perolanda.

"If I can recall, you did nothing but steal my most prized possession," Aeli smoothly cut across her.

Perolanda glared murderously at Aeli, who was looking decidedly happy with herself.

"You, Lucilla," the princess said to the servant. "I'll look forward to watching your execution from my balcony. Attacking the King is a crime against the crown!"

"No shit it is." Lucilla replied calmly.

"How dare you!" Perolanda stood. She was a good few inches taller than Lucilla, which made the latter's next action even more enjoyable.

"Personally, Perolanda, I think you are stupid, selfish, arrogant, ignorant, ugly, immature, a petty thief, spoiled, and a freakish-looking cockroach."

Lucilla drew back a curled fist and punched Perolanda on the bridge of her nose.

Blood spattered over Lucilla's hand and the Princess's face.

"Hear, hear!" Aeli clapped enthusiastically.

"OW! Guards! Guards, help me!" Perolanda clutched her face and began to cry.

Lucilla hit her again, in the temple, dropping Perolanda like a stone.

"Okay," Aeli said evenly. "Now, I'm pretty sure they won't be happy to see you when they get up."

"I'm beginning to think you're right," Lucilla agreed.

"In the name of the Three!" exclaimed someone from the door. "Lucilla, you traitor!" Four guards stood in the entrance, three holding swords.

"Come quietly, now. No trouble." two began to move forward.

Aeli dropped to her knees on the floor and picked up the handle of the smashed pot.

"Eat pottery, dirtbags!" she yelled, chucking the broken piece as hard as she could. "Lucilla, let's go!"

Lucilla snatched up the pendant (of Worlds?) from the floor and held it close to her heart; Aeli gripped Lucilla's hand as she said clearly,

"Take me to Link!"

"No!" Ruik's groggy voice reached their ears as white light filled the room. "Lucilla, no! _Ghynmru hetala omorallan!"_

Lucilla felt like she was being stabbed over and over in the heart, but she couldn't die. Her body seemed as though it were bleeding from a thousand wounds, but the blood was cold; icy.

She and Aeli vanished, but in the midst of the white light, Aeli's hand slipped out of her own.

Lucilla began to scream, the pendant forcing its way into her flesh as her body began to glow a soft blue. Her arms and legs shrank, as well as her body and skull.

Her own scream seemed twisted, warped.

Where was she? Who was she?

It was all lost in a haze of red.

She landed hard on the soft brown earth, nose sharply inhaling the musky smell of the ground. She knew her name, but not her purpose.

Lucilla sat up, aware suddenly that she was incredibly small.

Looking down at her hands, a sharp gasp caught in her throat. Her arms were long and gangling, traced with bright blue tattoo-like designs. Her legs were similar, but small, her feet barely a fourth of their regular size. Her body and torso were shrunken and clothed in a black tunic with black leggings.

Ruik's curse had really done a number on her.

Overwhelmed suddenly with the urge to cry, Lucilla had to slap herself to stop the tears. She looked around her current position, in the shadow of a tree, in a strange place. It wasn't the Twilight Realm, for sure, but it was dark, darker than night.

She knew she was dying; she could feel it in her bones. That complete, overwhelming tiredness, the will to stand just gone, and her flesh felt cold, unbearably cold.

"Help... me..." she croaked to the black night, knowing it did no good.

"Goddesses!" a voice cried out. "Who are you?"

A slim female form knelt by Lucilla and supported her head.

"Lu-Lucilla. I... I'm looking for... for Link..." she managed. The name just popped into her head, a name that tasted strange on her tongue. Like she had said it before.

In a rush, it all came back. Ruik's curse, Aeli, Link, the dreams, the necklace, Perolanda (shudder), and what she needed to do.

Oh, Goddesses. Aeli. She had to be dead. Lucilla had lost her hand when they transported. She'd never have been able to walk, with her broken feet, and since her hand had been ripped away, she could have ended up anywhere.

"AELI!" Lucilla screamed as loudly as she could. Damn him! Damn Ruik! He'd murdered Aeli!

"Hush! I'll take you to a safe place!" the young woman scooped up Lucilla effortlessly and rushed through strange streets between strange people.

It was all a big blur for Lucilla, who felt her life fading.

"Here!" the woman set Lucilla down on a cold stone floor, and held her gloved hand over Lucilla's shaking body. Immediately, warmth spread through the shivering form, and Lucilla slowly realized she wasn't about to die. This strange woman was saving her.

"Who.. are you?" Lucilla's strength crept back and her blood was no longer ice.

"My name is Zelda," the young woman replied. "I am the Princess of this country."

"Do you know... anyone named Link?" Lucilla reached out a hand to grasp Zelda's fingers. "I need to... find him."

"I know where he will be," Zelda said carefully. "I can tell you where, but on one condition."

"What?" Lucilla was willing to do practically anything to find this mysterious man.

"You can't let him know you have met Aeli."

"Why not?"

"Because he is doing everything he can to find her. If you even hint that you and her were acquainted, he will torture you to find out where she could be." Zelda was deadly serious. "He and Aeli were very close. Both are protective of the other, like siblings. Please, don't let him know you knew her."

"I... I won't." Lucilla found herself promising.

"He will be outside this castle in two days' time. You may look for him now, but you have a very slim chance of finding him before then."

Filled with renewed energy, Lucilla, still in her tiny imp's body, stood and shook her head to clear her whispering mind.

"How can you know where he'll be?" she asked skeptically. "You, a princess, living a life of luxury and comfort. How can anyone like you be so wise in the ways of the future?"

Zelda removed her right glove and showed Lucilla the back of her hand. A birthmark in the shape of the sacred Triforce glowed golden in the faint light.

"Because Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, gifted me." she said.

Lucilla was quiet for a while, her eyes glued to the mark on the princess's hand. Lucilla had long envied Perolanda for her easy life, and it was no different for this princess, in this Realm. She hated that the only cares they had were servants and clothes.

"Have fun in this tower," Lucilla said coldly, moving for the door.

"Where are you going?" Zelda slipped on her glove and stood.

Lucilla turned around long enough to look into Zelda's eyes.

"To find Link,"

The rest, you know.

* * *

love? hate? both? tell me in the review box, located just south of here!


	21. Chapter Twenty: Lucilla's Agony

CHAPTER TWENTY

Link cracked his eyes open, but it was more difficult than he expected; as if his eyelids were caked shut with blood or clay.

Wiping his sweaty brow with the back of his hand, Link slowly sat up. The back of his hand was smeared with blood.

Link got to his knees and stood, but he drew out the motion, as if he was afraid he would fall.

Zelda was about four feet to his left, sprawled on her back, her cloak drawn aside to reveal her royal dress, her auburn locks spread on the ground by her head. It was like someone had painted a picture of her.

A strange figure Link couldn't recognize was lying on her side maybe a foot and a half from Zelda's feet, unmoving. And the soldier, the one who hadn't recognized Zelda, was on his stomach, not far from Link's left side.

"Ugh..." Zelda sat up, wrecking her picturesque position. The right side of her heart-shaped face was bloody. "What happened?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Link shrugged, then winced at a lightning jab of pain in his shoulder.

"You've got a cut above your eye," She observed, her gloved fingers tracing the wound.

Link swallowed, trying to ignore the pulse of electricity her touch shot through him.

"So do you," he shot back smoothly.

She grinned faintly. "Touché,"

A grunt made both of them jump, and Zelda's hand dropped. The soldier had one hand against his eye, sitting up.

"Where are we?" he asked groggily.

"In hell," Lucilla's voice reached their ears, and they turned to her, but whoever stood before them was not Lucilla.

A tall girl was standing before them, dressed in a long black dress with red and blue embroidery. She looked to be about Link's age, maybe a bit younger, her hair was the color of blood and fire, the irises of her eyes the same hue, and faintly yellow where they should have been white. Her face was heart-shaped, similar to Zelda's, but her features were more defined, more solid than than the Princess's. This girl's skin was a soft midnight blue-turquoise color. Her lips were the color of pink roses. On her right cheek were two white tattoos shaped like tiny teardrops.

"What are you gaping at, Wolfy?" she snapped at Link, who, being so entranced by her, hadn't realized he'd been staring. "It's still me. Lucilla."

"Lu-Lucilla?" Link stuttered. "You're... tall,"

Lucilla looked down at her hands, then her feet. She then said an extremely vulgar and disgusting swear word, her eyes wide in exclamation. "I'm me again!" she said softly.

"Indeed you are, Lucilla." a deep male voice called from behind them, and the soldier stood. "How I've missed your exquisitely beautiful face."

The soldier's shape became undefined as he underwent a transformation. He became taller, his skin darkened to blue, his hair to red. He became swept in black robes and suddenly King Ruik stood before them. The same one who had engulfed Hyrule Castle in eternal Twilight.

"Ruik!" Lucilla snarled, immediately going defensive. Then, a smile curved the left side of her lips. "Did I do that?" she indicated an ugly gash on Ruik's hairline, nearly hidden behind his ear. "Excellent."

"Silence! I saved your life, and this is how you repay me? By siding with _Light-Dwellers_ of all beings!" Ruik's smiled faded into a grimace.

"These Light-Dwellers actually give a shit about what I think, not how pretty my face is, _Highness_." she sneered back. "Sorry, but I'm staying right here."

"Lucilla, dear," he held out his hand, a wheedling tone to his voice. "The curse I placed on you would have killed you if you remained in the Light for much longer. If you go back to the Realm of Light, you will be forced into your impish form again, and your time will wind down to the end. If you return, you only have about seventeen days to live."

Link noticed how Lucilla's jaw clenched at his words, but she didn't show any other reaction.

"How's your precious daughter doing? Did I break her nose?" Lucilla said instead.

Ruik frowned. "Her nose will never be the same."

Lucilla laughed. "Don't I feel special!"

"This isn't about Perolanda! This is about you, Lucilla!" Ruik snarled over her laughter. "Don't do anything you'll regret!"

"I won't," Lucilla replied calmly, all trace of humor gone from her voice.

It all happened so fast, that for Link and Zelda, it was the mere blink of an eye.

With a savage scream, Lucilla charged down Ruik so quickly, he had no time to react. She tackled him, breathing heavily, hands around his throat.

"Lucilla! Let- let me go!" he choked, but the servant girl's grip was like a vise.

"All these years I've served you," she murmured. "All these years I've been obedient. I need to know, Ruik, before you die. Did you lie to me about my family?"

Silence. Ruik's blue-skinned face was turning indigo and purple.

_"DID YOU LIE TO ME?" _Lucilla yelled, tears beginning to drip off of her nose. Her grip tightened.

Ruik made a grunting noise.

"What?" Lucilla loosened her hold on Ruik's throat for him to speak.

"Y-yes!" he stuttered. "I lied! You were sick as a child, Lucilla, but your parents didn't leave you! My soldiers burned your village to the ground because of the sickness. Because of your condition, I had to kill everyone in the town. You were highly contagious. Your mother and father wouldn't let them kill you, so we burned down the village. Ironically, you were the only one who survived. I took you in, seeing nothing else to do. In the flames, you were miraculously cured, so you were no longer a danger."

"You murdered my family, and my hometown," Lucilla whispered. Her hands slowly constricting around his windpipe again. "Saving one helpless child and then lying to her doesn't justify anything you have done! Din, Farore, and Nayru damn you!"

"Lucilla!" Zelda rushed forward as Ruik's eyelids began to flutter. "Stop, you'll kill him!"

"That's kind of the point, Princess," Lucilla replied, teeth clenched.

"Lucilla-!"

"Shut up, Zelda!"

Zelda huffed, then, pointing both palms at Lucilla, sent a bolt of bright blue lightning at the Twili girl, sending her flying off of Ruik.

"I won't allow you to take his life!" Zelda set her jaw, feet shoulder width apart.

"You stupid bitch!" Lucilla was on the verge of sobbing. "I was so close! He's going to get away and kill more people!"

It was true. When Link turned back to Ruik, he had vanished.

"I hate you!" Lucilla screamed at Zelda. "You ignorant fool!" She made as if to attack the princess, but Link grabbed Lucilla's forearm and held her.

"It's okay, Lucilla." he said softly. "We'll get him eventually."

She seemed to calm down a bit, and relaxed in his grip.

"I'm just so... tired of him. I went overboard, I know, but it's no more than he deserves." She didn't look at him.

After a moment, she slumped against him, exhausted and unconscious; Link only barely managed to catch her.

"This is crazy," Zelda murmured, her eyes on Lucilla as Link carefully knelt to the ground with the senseless Twili girl. "How did we even get to the Twilight Realm?"

"This is the Twilight Realm?" Link looked at their surroundings, cradling Lucilla's head in the crook of one arm.

They were one a cliff, high above the actual palace, which could be seen far below them. The charred remains of what had once been a pleasant village was all around them, overgrown with moss, grass, and tiny red flowers. Bleached bones lay half-buried in the black dirt. The cliff was set apart from the destroyed town, a sheer drop-off to a pond below.

"When Lucilla said home," Link whispered. "it literally took her home. To her village, where she was a baby."

"Where is it?" Zelda asked suddenly. "Where is the necklace?"

"Um..." Link's eyes searched Lucilla's throat, but the necklace wasn't there. Then, a glint of the faint twilight caught in her tightly clenched fist, and Link carefully extracted the pendant from her grasp.

Zelda sighed in relief. "Okay. So Ruik didn't manage to take it."

"Is Aeli here?" Link asked suddenly. He needed to know if his friend was in this strange place.

"No, she isn't." Lucilla was waking up now. "I don't know where she is."

"You know Aeli?" Link asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I do. I knew her for several days." Lucilla wouldn't look at either of them; her ruby red eyes focused on the distant, red and black sky. "She appeared here suddenly, in the courtyard, nearly dead. Her hands and feet were broken. A slave girl found her and Aeli was taken to the infirmary. I was with her when she woke up." Lucilla sighed. "Ruik tried to take the necklace from her, but we fought him for it, and fought his daughter for it. In the end, I got it, took Aeli's hand, and said, "Take me to Link". As I said it, Ruik cursed me so I nearly died. Zelda saved me, and here we are."

"Why didn't you tell me you and Aeli knew one another?" Link demanded, a harsh tone overtaking his voice.

"Because Zelda knew you would only pester me for her location which, I'm afraid, I have to clue about." Lucilla smoothly replied.

Link swore under his breath. "We need to find her."

"She's not in this Realm, for sure," Lucilla pushed Link away from her and stood. "We were pulled apart while we were nearly at our destination. She has to be in the Realm of Light."

"Are you coming with us?" Zelda asked.

"Um, hel_lo_?" Lucilla took her pendant back from Link and twirled it around her fingers. "I think I have the portal. So hell yes, I'm going with you."

"But you only have seventeen days to live if you go back." Link protested.

"Seventeen days is long enough to stop Ruik, Ganondorf, and save Aeli, plus Hyrule. And if it isn't, I can just go back to the Twilight for a couple of days and start over the hourglass." Lucilla shrugged.

"This isn't a game, Lucilla." Zelda emphasized this. "It's life and death, you know."

"Seeing as my life really couldn't mean less, I don't think it matters." Lucilla growled. "I don't fear death."

"Sometimes fear keeps us alive." Zelda replied sagely.

"I don't see much point in living, or much sense in fear." Lucilla retorted.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Link jumped between the two of them before fists began to fly. "This doesn't need to come to a conflict, yeah?"

The two young women were glaring daggers at one another, but both backed off.

"Ready to leave?" Zelda asked. "Oh, wait. Maybe we should ask Lucilla for permission first."

"Oh, we can leave, if this little brat is willing to move her royal behind." Lucilla easily retaliated.

Link gulped, not exactly willing to be caught between two warring women. Those battles were the bloodiest.

Zelda and Link took hold of Lucilla's shoulders as she asked, "Where to?"

"The Sacred Realm," Zelda said before Link could open his mouth. "We aren't ready to face Ganondorf or Ruik yet."

"I think Link should get a say," Lucilla arched her eyebrows.

"I was going to say Aeli, but if the Sacred Realm is a more strategic move, then..." he trailed off lamely.

"You and strategy?" Lucilla giggled. "That mix is about as compatible as fire and ice. Well, whatever. Take us to the Sacred Realm!" She pinched the pendant between two fingers.

The blue light engulfed them, and they were gone.

"Wait!" the lone soldier cried, stumbling to his feet. "You left me behind!"

* * *

well, the soldier didn't really have much else to do, and by the end of the chapter I'd nearly forgotten about him, so stay he will.

reviews are appreciated, as always! Luv you all!


	22. Chapter Twenty One: Sword of Evil's Bane

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

They landed with a thud on soft green grass. A waning crescent moon gazed down through the thick foliage of numerous tall trees upon the three forms as they stirred and began to stand.

"Ouch,"groaned Lucilla, sitting up; she was in her imp form once more.

"That was weird," Link shuddered. "It felt like being doused in water."

"To me it felt as if I was on fire." Zelda stood and brushed off her white skirt and purple bodice. Her cloak had mysteriously vanished, showing her slim, curved form. Link couldn't help gaping. It was incredible, how much a girl could make him nervous.

"Where are we?" Lucilla broke him out of his reverie.

"In the Sacred Realm," Zelda tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Duh."

"I know that," Lucilla snapped. "I mean where. On the map."

"Deep in Faron Woods, over some cliffs, past the long-dead forest temple." Zelda rattled off. "It's nearly impossible to reach by normal means."

"Well, shall we get a move on?" Lucilla floated a few feet off the ground and began to move through the trees when a small figure, no bigger than a child, dropped from the canopy and landed in front of them, lantern in one hand, a small horn or trumpet in the other.

Its face was like a jack 'o lantern, with a wide, spiky-toothed mouth and stretched eyes that gave one shivers. It was wearing clothes that looked as though they had been made of the forest, and a cape that was a giant leaf.

With an insane cackle, it inhaled deeply and blew into the horn, which let out a shrill noise, like blowing on a reed.

Six wooden creatures fell from the trees, their faces crudely painted, their gangling limbs flailing wildly, like a puppet whose master has restless fingers. Then, the strange little man, giggling, turned and shuffled off through the trees, his lantern glowing faintly. The wooden puppets advanced on the three stunned intruders.

Zelda pulled a knife from some unknown place in her dress and cut down two faster than the blink of an eye, Link sliced three to pieces without much effort, and Lucilla easily disposed of the last one with a blast of Twili magic she didn't know she had.

"Come on! We need to go after him!" Zelda called, holding her knife in a reverse grip as she produced another from a second hidden pocket.

Link and Lucilla nodded and they ran after the dwindling light of the small creature's lantern.

More and more wooden puppets descended and attacked, and soon enough, after twenty minutes of hide-and-seek with a creepy, deranged, demonlike creature, Link, Zelda, and Lucilla were getting tired. There was clearly no end to these things.

"Look!" Zelda's creamy-skinned, heart-shaped face was sweaty, but her intense blue eyes were full of relief. "There's a cliff there!" Below the cliff, they saw, was the creature, standing atop one of many broken stone pillars, trumpeting away. Lucilla pointed her palm at him and fired a bolt of magic, which caught him squarely in the chest, knocking him off balance and nearly sending him flying off the pillar. He let out a squeal, not of pain, but of surprise, then, with a chuckle, he disappeared in a puff of brown and red leaves, only to reappear in an instant on a separate pillar, halfway across the clearing.

He growled eerily, stomped his feet, and blew into the horn harder than ever. Maybe ten, twenty more wooden puppets fell from above, heads rolling limply, and began to attack as soon as Link, Zelda, and Lucilla's feet touched the earth below the cliff.

It didn't take long to eradicate the creatures, but more and more kept arriving. They were nearly exhausted by the time Link cut down his twenty-second.

Zelda, not seeing one come up behind her, felt an enormous blow to the back of her head. Stars exploded behind her eyelids, and lightning bolts of pain shot through her. She couldn't remember how she ended up on her back, feeling the cool earth and stone beneath her pounding skull. She lay there, breathing heavily, in deep shock from the intensity of the strike.

Lucilla and Link couldn't keep up without Zelda's contribution. They were being attacked from all sides, all angles.

"Lucilla!" Link shouted as loud as he could over the wooden creaking and snaps of the creatures. "To your left!"

But the Twili didn't hear him, and she was knocked suddenly to the ground from the attacks of three or four of the puppets. She didn't stir.

Link was alone now. Surrounded. Distressed, he twirled his sword in a circle around himself, but that only threw the creatures off for a moment. He knew he had to take out the leader; the one with the trumpet; the puppet master.

But he just couldn't get close enough. Whenever he moved an inch forward, the wooden, crude-faced things swamped him in a wave.

"Shit!" he muttered, trying in vain to stop their pounding blows to his face and head. Blood trickled from a wound at his hairline into his eye, but Link couldn't wipe it away.

"Damn you all!" he yelled, knowing full well they were taking him down. In a final, desperate move, he held his sword like a javelin and threw it as hard as he possibly could.

Suddenly, they all were gone. Poof.

Link, his breath choking in his chest and catching in his throat, looked at the ringleader, who in turn stared at him, then down at the sword protruding from his chest. It easily inched its way out of his body, like a knife through butter, and landed with a clang on the stone and moss of the ground.

He laughed and flew into the air above. As Link's eyes watched him, he could see it was just about dawn. The ringleader laughed and called in a high-pitched, child's voice,

"Heeheehee! That was fun! It was fun to play again, Hero!"

A bundle of red and orange autumn leaves floated down to earth in his place, like big snowflakes.

"Did you get him?" Zelda sat up, rubbing the back of her head. "I blacked out..."

"Yeah," Link wiped away the blood in his eye, then gingerly prodded the wound from which it had flown. It wasn't very bad. But his lower lip was bloody and swollen, his right eye was blackened, and several small scratches lined his face and throat.

Zelda wasn't in any better shape. Her eye was black, and her right cheek looked like it had been partly skinned. Her throat had four or five small slashes, from twigs, maybe. Her lip was bloody as well.

Lucilla's only wound they could see was a gash, above her left ear; where she had been hit. She still wasn't moving.

"Lucilla?" Link picked her up in one arm and poked her cheek with the other hand.

"AHH!" She screamed, shoved away from him, and flew a foot back from them. Then, her terrified face relaxed, and turned bright indigo to signify her blush. "Oh... sorry... I... I was dreaming you were Ruik and... it sorta freaked me out." She apologized again and floated to the ground, landing deftly on her feet.

"That's perfectly understandable," Zelda crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "You are blushing, you know."

"I am not!" Lucilla cried indignantly.

"Well!" Link spared Lucilla further embarrassment and declared loudly. "Let's move on, shall we?"

He pushed Zelda ahead of him and let Lucilla walk (er... float) just behind his right hand, separating the two warring women.

They passed through a stone archway, like a doorway, walked up a short flight of stairs, and entered a clearing. In the clearing, the remains of two statues lay in lichen-flecked heaps of shattered yellow stone to the left, by another door with more crooked stairs. The ground was coated almost entirely in lichen, moss, and small grasses from between cracks in the stone floor, and a mostly covered black insignia was barely visible.

"Look," Zelda knelt in the moss and pushed it off of the insignia as much as she could. "It's a Triforce."

"A Tri-what?" Lucilla curled a lip.

Link removed his left gauntlet and glove, showing Lucilla his back palm, where the triangle birthmark was nearly black against his tan skin. "Triforce," he whispered.

Zelda removed her dirt-smeared glove and revealed her mark. "I have one too."

Then, she stood, closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and held her palms up, arms out in front of her. Her feet were in the center of the Triforce symbol.

She started to sing, very softly. It was a song that sent shivers up and down Link's spine. The song had no words, just notes, but it was beautiful; a melody that sounded like a lullaby.

Link walked over beside her, mimicked her motion, and sang with her. He didn't know how the song went, but at the same time, he did; as soon as he opened his mouth, he knew what he was supposed to sing.

They stood like that and sang, softly at first, then crescendoed to a wonderful sound, a sound that only came from a princess and a hero trying to sing a lullaby.

When they finally reached the last note, they held it out until they were almost breathless.

Lucilla could only watch in awe.

The quiet sound of clapping reached their ears, and all three whirled around, knowing immediately Lucilla wasn't the one applauding.

"That was simply awe-inspiring." a voice chuckled.

There, at the top of the stairs stood Khal, looking as unscathed and stunning as he had when Link had last seen him. "A true work of art." he added.

"Khal?" Link couldn't help exclaiming. "They told me you were dead!"

"In a way, dear Hero, I am dead." Khal, still smiling, shook his head in disappointment. "In a way, I was never walking among the living."

"Do you know where Aeli is?" Link burst out.

Khal's smile faded into an eerie smirk. "Still chasing midnight? Midnight is long past, you stupid boy."

"Are you saying she's dead, you son of a bitch?" Link started to rush forward, but stopped when a voice came from behind him.

"Don't move, Hero, or I'll cut her throat."

Slowly turning, Link saw her.

Nalana.

She was looking as beautiful as before, her golden eyes glittering, her mocha skin shining against the dawn. And she had Zelda by the hair, a knife to the princess's throat.

"She's really got you pinned, hasn't she?" Khal sniggered. "Which will you choose? To kill me, who clearly is so much better than you, and in doing so cause the death of the Princess, or come at me, who," he grabbed Lucilla by her ponytail and put one hand around her throat. "in less than a minute, will kill your friend."

Link clenched his teeth, his mind whirring frantically. Zelda, or Lucilla? Which one should he save?

"Link, save her!" Zelda cried from behind him. "Save her, not me!"

"Shut up!" Nalana's knife bit into Zelda's throat; blood trickled down her neck, and the princess went silent for a moment. Then, she yelled again, "I don't know where Aeli is, and she does! She's more important!"

"I said, _shut up!_" Nalana shouted, drawing the knife across Zelda's throat.

Blood spurted.

The princess fell.

And didn't move.

Link stood, eyes wide, in stunned silence as he watched the blood slowly pool around Zelda's neck. With a howl, he drew his sword faster than the eye could blink and sliced off Nalana's arm, the arm that held the bloodstained knife, below the elbow. As she screamed, Link turned and attacked Khal, who was no longer smiling, but was staring in surprise, his hand continuing to slowly strangle Lucilla. She was gasping for air, her face an unnatural color, eyes squeezed shut as her hands clawed in vain at his own. Link thrust his sword for Khal's face, but the young man threw Lucilla aside and retaliated, blocking the attack with a knife.

"Nalana is a fool for killing Zelda before Lucilla died." Khal sighed. "I was waiting for Lucilla's death so Nalana could end Zelda's life as you rushed me. We had it all worked out. And now, my dear Nalana lies in agony on the ground, with one arm and the stump of the other in a pool of blood."

"Bastard!" Link pushed aside the knife and fought with him. Their blows were so fast, to a spectator it seemed like lightning was striking, but neither was cut at all. They were dancing; dancing to a dangerous song of death. Khal's footwork was intimidating; he could step to the left and attack from the right at the same time. Link's swift blows were staggering, though; he could hit you without you even knowing, and leave you stumbling.

They were perfectly matched, but the dance was coming to an end. Sword and knife were becoming more accurate; Khal's face was bleeding, as well as Link's shoulder. Another quick blow; now Link faltered in his steps and nearly lost his eye. Khal leapt back as his stomach was almost opened by a horizontal swing from his opponent's Ordon Sword.

But Khal was too fast, and Link suddenly found himself on the ground, winded. Khal kicked viciously at Link's left hand, knocking the sword from his grasp. Link cried out, feeling a couple of his fingers break from the intensity of the blow.

"You will die now, Hero." Khal's chest was heaving, his handsome face sweaty. "The last time I struck you down, Hyrule was new, and Zelda had just been born." A smile slowly crept across his lips. "I am savoring this, as well as your last breath; when the light leaves your eyes and you finally die."

"Just who are you?" Link didn't try to move, but he knew that the longer Khal was talking, the longer Link would live.

Khal put his hand on his forehead in mock sadness, though that creepy grin was still there. "You poor, stupid boy," he shook his head. "I'm so offended that you don't remember me."

The shape of his body rippled and grew, like a rapidly sprouting weed. He grew to maybe seven feet, his chest barreled out, and glittered with black and gold armor. His hair turned the color of blood and fire, and his eyes flashed golden yellow as his arms and legs expanded to accommodate the enormous muscles now beneath the flesh. Khal thickened into a monster of a man, and suddenly, Link recognized him.

It was him.

The one who had taken Aeli.

The one who told him she was dead.

Ganondorf.

"You!" Link snarled, and very nearly lunged at him, but Ganondorf planted his huge metal boot on Link's chest and forced him back down.

"Don't even move, Hero." he hissed. "I want you to stare into my eyes when you die."

Link curled his lip in disgust; all he could see was behind Ganondorf: Zelda's prone form, her bloody neck, and Lucilla, who was lying on her side, out cold.

"Look at me, Hero," commanded Ganondorf, and Link reluctantly met his golden gaze. "Yes, that's better. Now, before you die, there is something I should tell you."

"Yeah, and what's that?" Link spat. "Just get this over with already."

"You see, I know where Aeli might be," Ganondorf whispered. "and once you breathe your last, I'm going to torture her and see how long it takes for her to finally die."

"Bastard!" Link yelled, and felt Ganondorf's huge metal foot crushing his chest.

"Die now, Chosen One," Ganondorf tutted sorrowfully. "I had been hoping you would give me a good fight, but an execution will do."

His huge blade was inches from Link's throat. As the icy metal pricked his flesh, Link sighed and stared at Ganondorf, hatred burning in his eyes.

This was the end.

All of a sudden, Ganondorf's smile faded, and his eyes went wide. His foul sword fell to the side, and he turned to look behind him.

Link saw the dagger, embedded to the hilt in his enemy's back. And he saw Zelda, blood in her hair and coating the side of her face, her throat cut, but still standing.

"Tell Nalana, if she still lives, that she needs to cut deeper next time," Zelda spat disdainfully. "And she completely missed nearly all of my major veins."

"Zelda! You're alive!" Link sighed in relief.

"No, I'm a zombie." she rolled her eyes. "Of _course_ I'm alive, you idiot. Although, my throat is stinging a lot."

"Bitch!" Ganondorf snarled, tearing the dagger from his back. "I'll kill you for that."

"Just try," she widened her stance and readied herself, but the monstrous man didn't attack. He spat at her feet, picked up Nalana, and vanished.

"Does it hurt bad? Your throat," Link stood after a long moment.

"Yes, a bit," Zelda admitted sheepishly. "Nalana actually managed to hit a vein, and I don't think it will stop bleeding."

"That's gross," Lucilla sat up, her throat discolored with purple and red bruises. "Your neck. It's disgusting. You need a doctor. Like, now."

"I can wait," Zelda insisted. "Link needs to venture deep into this grove and retrieve the blade of evil's bane."

Link nodded, and walked away from the two women, past the severed arm that had once belonged to Nalana (at which he shuddered and gagged, hardly believing that he had cut it), and up a flight of stairs to a clearing.

In the center of the round clearing, an indented place surrounded by trees and bushes and all sorts of green things, was a lichen-covered pedestal.

Embedded within the pedestal was a sword with a blue hilt, a sapphire set into the handle, and a triforce carved into the steel.

Link approached the sword with caution, not quite sure what would happen when he touched it. And the scene itself was breathtaking; it made Link feel nostalgic for the first time in ages. The sunlight streamed through the canopy, falling down like a gold curtain on the sword that was untouched by any plants at all.

It hadn't been touched in six centuries by anything, including nature.

"It's beautiful," Lucilla's voice came from behind him, but he didn't turn.

"Yeah, it is," Link took several steps toward the Master Sword, but it remained dormant. "It's like a painting, or a photograph."

"Like it isn't real." Lucilla agreed. "Like it can't be real."

"Take it, Hero." Zelda appeared suddenly, her throat shabbily bandaged, blood leaking through the cloth that encircled her neck. "It is destined for you."

"I... I can't." Link stuttered.

"Why not?" Lucilla piped up.

"I'm not ready. How can you expect me to wield a sword as amazing as this one so soon? It's ridiculous!"

"That's exactly why you _are_ ready. If one does not fear the sword he holds, than he is not worthy to be a warrior." Zelda smiled gently. **(A/N: Bleach quote. You know, Hisagi Shuuhei? He fears his sword. His captain told him the same thing. You know what, forget it. Watch Bleach. Just saying.) **

"Well..." Link's hand trembled as he laid it gently on the hilt of the blade. The sword was cold, like ice, to his touch, and an involuntary shiver shot through him. "It's cold." he whispered.

Lucilla and Zelda said nothing, so Link, squeezing his fist around the hilt, eased it out of the pedestal like a knife out of hot butter.

"It accepted you," Lucilla said softly.

"Without even a peep." Zelda shook her head. "I'm astounded."

"Let's go find Aeli." Link sheathed the sword across his back. "Now."

"Now?" Lucilla raised her eyebrows. "No offense, but you and Zelda are a little... beat up? Not to mention Zelda's neck has a little cut on it."

"It's fine. I'll go to Castle Town in disguise and see a doctor. I've been training in teleportation, but I can only teleport once every two months." Zelda insisted. "You and Lucilla go, Link."

"Sounds alright to me, as long as you're sure you'll be fine." Link stared her down, but the princess smiled disarmingly at him.

"Just go. I'll wait for you at Jeida's bar." she took a step back and vanished in a small flash of light.

"I guess that settles it, Wolfy." Lucilla shrugged. "You ready or not?"

"Let's go." Link could hardly feel the weight of the sword he carried.

"Whatever." Lucilla, eyes rolling beautifully, held the pendant in one fist and Link's hand in the other, saying, "Take us to Aeli."

And then they were gone.

* * *

i know, i know, i shouldnt say it. but im going to.

plzplzplz review? it's about half over now! i know it isnt as good as "Two Sides" but plz review anyway? no flames, constructive criticism is appreciated!

luv u guys! 3


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